Kyrgyz Prisoners Face Delays in Transfer from Russia

Kyrgyz citizens serving sentences in Russian prisons are facing lengthy delays in being transferred back home.

The issue was raised by MP Altynbek Kylychbaev during a meeting of the Jogorku Kenesh committee on judicial and legal affairs, law and order, crime prevention, and anti-corruption, The Caspian Post reports via Kyrgyz media.

He questioned how long authorities take to process letters and requests from abroad.

“Hundreds of Kyrgyz citizens are in Russian prisons. Many are being recruited to fight in the war. Some wait for months without receiving any response on extradition,” Kylychbaev said.

Deputy Prosecutor General Umutkan Konkubaeva reported that in 2024, 128 Kyrgyz citizens convicted abroad were returned to Kyrgyzstan, including 118 from Russia. In 2025, the number rose to 221, with decisions already made on another 124 cases, whose transfer is pending.

Konkubaeva said that 1,210 Kyrgyz citizens are currently serving sentences in Russian prisons. She acknowledged that procedures are not always fast, noting that prisoner transfers are part of a complex interstate process that requires court rulings in Russia, which can take several months.