TALAS, Kyrgyzstan (AKIPRESS.COM) – A social media page owner and her relative have been remanded in custody on suspicion of bribery and extortion, following an investigation by authorities in Talas.
Extortion Case Leads to Arrest
The case began when a resident of Talas reported to the Department of Internal Affairs on February 10 that the owner of the Instagram page “interes_talas” had sent him a threatening message on February 8. The suspect allegedly demanded 5,000 soms, warning that personal photos of the complainant would be published online if payment was not made.
Following this complaint, authorities launched a criminal case for extortion and began monitoring the suspects.
Bribery Attempt and Arrest
To influence the investigation, two residents of Talas, identified as I.S. (born in 1974) and T.Kh. (born in 2007), allegedly attempted to bribe a police officer with 150,000 soms. The internal investigation service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the criminal investigation department of the Talas Region apprehended them on February 25, during the act of handing over the bribe.
Legal Proceedings
On February 28, the Talas District Court ruled that both suspects would remain in custody until March 11, 2025, as the investigation continues.
Authorities in Talas have reiterated their commitment to combating cybercrime, warning against the misuse of social media platforms for extortion and blackmail.
