Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has signed a decree revoking all state awards previously granted to former president Almazbek Atambayev.
According to the official document, Atambayev has been stripped of the country’s highest honors, including the title “Hero of the Kyrgyz Republic”, the Order of Manas (2nd degree), the Order of Danaker, and the Dank Medal. Presidential decrees issued in 1999, 2007, 2011, and 2017 awarding these honors have now been annulled.
The Prosecutor General’s Office has been instructed to confiscate the medals and accompanying documents and return them to the state award archive.
The move follows a June 3, 2025 ruling by the Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek, which sentenced Atambayev in absentia to 11.5 years in prison, ordered asset confiscation, and the revocation of his state honors. The sentence was linked to the Koi-Tash events of 2019. At the time, President Japarov called the court's decision "harsh" and said he would consider a pardon if Atambayev's legal team formally submitted a request.
Atambayev served as president of Kyrgyzstan from 2011 to 2017. In August 2019, Kyrgyz security forces attempted to arrest him at his residence in Koi-Tash, a suburb of Bishkek. His supporters resisted the operation, leading to clashes that resulted in the death of a special forces officer and injuries to over 100 people.
The trial over the Koi-Tash events began in 2022 and later expanded to include corruption charges. In February 2023, Atambayev was released from custody for medical treatment abroad and left for Spain — he has not returned since.
In September 2025, judicial authorities forcibly evicted Atambayev’s family from the Koi-Tash residence. His son, Kadyrbek Atambayev, denounced the move as “an absolute abuse of power.”
