Kyrgyz Education Minister Almaz Beishenaliev has been detained on charges of taking bribes in connection with student admissions to the Central Asian nation’s universities.
The Interior Ministry said on September 28 that Beishenaliev is suspected of accepting a total of $110,000 for arranging foreign students’ acceptance to universities in Kyrgyzstan.
The ministry’s statement said detailed information on the case will be made public at a later date.
The 41-year-old Beishenaliev has initiated multiple reforms in the education system since his appointment to the post in November 2020.
Between June 2021 and February 2022, he worked as the Kyrgyz ambassador to Switzerland, after which he returned to the position of education minister.
Neither Beishenaliev nor his legal representative has commented on the situation. (RFE)