Rysbek Abdymalikovich Akmatbayev (Russian: Рысбек Абдымаликович Акматбаев; 6 July 1960 – 10 May 2006) was a Kyrgyz businessman, politician and alleged criminal leader.

Under President Askar Akayev, Akmatbayev and a number of other alleged criminal figures including Bayaman Erkinbayev were facing a variety of criminal charges including murder. Seeing an opportunity during the 2005 Tulip Revolution, the mafia participated heavily in the coup and subsequently won positions in the post-revolutionary government. Ryspek was elected to parliament in April 2006. However, a power struggle emerged, and several politicians including Erkinbayev, Raatbek Sanatbayev and Ryspek's own brother Tynychbek were assassinated, the latter having died during a prison riot orchestrated by another Kyrgyz criminal, thief in law Aziz Batukayev.^[1]

Ryspek subsequently associated Batukayev with prime minister Felix Kulov, and held nationwide protests demanding his resignation. He was himself shot dead leaving a mosque in May 2006.^[2]

References[edit]