The president of Kyrgyzstan has jailed his niece’s fiancé following the man’s “embarrassingly ostentatious” proposal, which occurred at the same time as deadly mudslides and floods ravaged the south of the Central Asia republic.

In June, Aftandil Sabyrbekov used a government helicopter to take his future wife and the president’s niece, Lazzat Nurgozhoeva, to the hilltop where he popped the question. 

The vehicle was reportedly one of only three Kyrgyz Emergencies Ministry helicopters and was rented for over $1,920 per hour.

The video of the proposal soon sparked outrage in the nation, leading Nurgozhoeva, who was Miss Kyrgyzstan in 2020, to delete it from her Instagram account.

Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov has jailed his niece’s fiancé after he used one of the Ministry of Emergency Situations’ three helicopters for a lavish marriage proposal

Image credits: marrymekg

The grand marriage proposal also featured a neon sign, giant floral arrangements, and a fireworks display.

“I apologize to the people for my niece. She also listens to people’s opinions,” President Sadyr Japarov said in a media interview at the time, as per The Telegraph.

“I believe that she will draw the right conclusions from this.”

The event has sparked fury among a significant portion of Kyrgyz society

@marrymekg Организация предложение руки и сердца #Предложениерукиисердца#marrymekg#marryme#организацияпоедложениерукиисердца#предложениерукиисердцабишкек#marrymebishkek#marrymeБишкек#лавсторибишкек#кыргызстан# предложениебишкек#предложениерукиисердцаиссыккуле#предложениеИК#marrymeik ♬ suara asli – kosong

Japarov, who was sworn in as the country’s president in January 2021 after serving as the Prime Minister, has reportedly made a show of admonishing politicians for wasting money. 

In his inaugural speech, he promised to crack down on corruption, create a society with a “dictatorship of the law,” and bring economic prosperity to Kyrgyz, The Diplomat reported.

Japarov’s government has been marred by numerous political scandals, including the detention of 20 politicians and political activists from the opposition in October 2022.

The civil society activists were jailed on charges of fomenting unrest after they opposed a controversial border deal with Uzbekistan.

“I apologize to the people for my niece. She also listens to people’s opinions,” President Sadyr Japarov said

Image credits: davletbekovvna_

“Human rights protections and civil liberties in Kyrgyzstan continued to decline in 2023, with systematic stifling of critical voices by the authorities,” reads a report published by Human Rights Watch. 

“Civil society and media freedom came under severe threat, with criminal cases against leading media outlets and draft laws that would allow the expansion of state control over the work of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and censorship of information.”

In 2023, Japarov closed multiple independent media outlets, imprisoned several journalists and bloggers, and also jailed Adahan Madumarov, a member of Parliament and a prominent government critic, as per VOA News.

Image credits: azattyk.media

Despite voicing his opposition to the idea of his closest relatives holding government positions, Japarov has appointed more than six family members to positions of high power. Among them is one of his nieces, Perizat Japarova, who holds the position of Deputy Head of the Digital Development Department of the Presidential Administration.

In the most recent scandal, the president arrested his niece’s fiancé on drug-related charges after the man failed to apologize for using the emergency helicopter.

“The arrest of his niece’s fiancé is a move to quell domestic criticism,” Erica Marat, a Central Asia expert and associate professor at the National Defense University in Washington, told The Telegraph.

After Lazzat Nurgozhoeva’s fiancé failed to apologize, Japarov proceeded to arrest him on drug-related charges

@azattyk.media Президент Садыр Жапаров не раз критиковал кыргызстанцев и чиновников за расточительность. Поэтому пышная церемония предложения руки и сердца его племяннице Лаззат Нургожоевой вызвала широкий резонанс в социальных сетях. В опубликованном видео Лаззат сделали предложение в горах близ Бишкека. Туда молодая пара прилетела на вертолете МЧС Кыргызстана. По словам Жапарова, близкие родственники главы государства должны показывать пример и не быть расточительными. Жапаров принес извинения кыргызстанцам. Что касается вертолета, то президент подтвердил, что МЧС предоставляет вертолеты для коммерческих полетов любому желающему, когда они не задействованы в государственных задачах. По словам Жапарова, вертолеты должны приносить прибыль, чтобы на полученные средства закупать новые. МЧС сообщил, что вертолет для племянницы президента арендовал мужчина по имени Афтандил Сабырбеков, заплатив за полет 157 тысяч сомов, то есть 1800 долларов. Некоторые СМИ написали, что он является женихом Лаззат Нургожоевой. Всего полет длился 56 минут. #садыржапаров #лаззат #лаззатнуркожоева #племянница #племянницапрезидента #предложениелаззат #кыргызстан #вертолет ♬ оригинальный звук – Радио Азаттык

Nurgozhoeva, who is also the owner of the clothing brand LaMonte, has deactivated her comments following the public backlash.

Days before the proposal, flooding and mudflows across many parts of Kyrgyzstan killed eight people, affected 300 homes, damaged roads and other infrastructure, and led to the evacuation of around 300 individuals.

Heavy rainfall has been ongoing in the region since April 20, with the latest reports of flooded homes dating to July 15.

Lazzat Nurgozhoeva, who won Miss Kyrgyzstan in 2020, deactivated her Instagram comments and deleted the video of the proposal following the scandal

Image credits: davletbekovvna_

Image credits: davletbekovvna_

People took to TikTok to denounce the president’s family’s behavior, writing, “How much did this marriage proposal cost the Kyrgyz people?”

“It would be better if the rich people offered a helping hand to the people who are suffering here,” said another user.

“People’s money. This expenditure is a guarantee,” a separate commentator claimed.

Japarov’s critics have described him as a dangerous demagogue. His policies have raised concerns both domestically and internationally, as many fear they may lead to Kyrgyzstan losing the political freedoms that make the country stand out in a region dominated by autocratic governments.

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