Omurbek Tekebayev was detained Wednesday after arriving in Poland from Turkey as part of a Kyrgyz parliamentary delegation. Tekebayev, who was traveling on a diplomatic passport, is alleged to have been carrying a Russian wooden matryoshka doll containing heroin in his baggage.
"[President Kurmanbek] Bakiyev said this incident with Tekebayev was a major mistake and he gave [me] instructions to act on behalf of the president in the investigation of this case," said Marat Sultanov, parliamentary speaker, after talks with the president.
The Kyrgyz presidential administration said a commission comprising officials from the Foreign Ministry and Prosecutor General's Office would be established and would head for Poland to provide legal assistance to Tekebayev, who resigned as parliamentary speaker earlier this year.
Prime Minister Felix Kulov said Friday he was also confident Tekebayev was innocent. "He has become the victim of somebody's dirty provocation," he said.
Supporters of Tekebayev claimed Thursday the authorities had set the opposition leader up, but the head of the Central Asian country's National Security Service told journalists the secret services had not been involved in the incident.
"We are interested in investigating this incident as soon as possible," Busurmankul Tabaldiyev said.
The Kyrgyz parliament is holding an extraordinary session Thursday. A RIA Novosti correspondent reported that a tape taken from surveillance cameras in Bishkek's Manas airport had been shown to MPs. The film shows Tekebayev's bag being separated from other luggage and taken away and then returned in 14 minutes.
Opposition members said they were ready to start massive protest rallies to support their leader. "These could include pickets, rallies and even hunger strikes," an opposition movement leader said.
