Kurmanbek Bakiyev accepted Wednesday the resignations of his top two security officials, including his brother, both of whom are accused of playing a role in an incident that saw opposition leader Omurbek Tekebeyev detained with a batch of heroin in Poland.
The parliament, however, is debating a resolution to demand the dismissal of all presidential relatives from state positions.
"My relatives are patriots of their country, they defended the country fulfilling their duty. And you are demanding my brothers and children be fired. We have talked about human rights. How about their rights?" the president said, acknowledging at the same time that MPs were emotionally overwhelmed by the situation involving their colleague.
The head of the National Security Service, Busurmankul Tabaldiyev, and his deputy Zhanysh Bakiyev tendered their resignation Tuesday after the service was accused of setting Tekebayev up. They both pleaded ignorance of the alleged frame-up.
The presidential press office said Wednesday their resignations were signed in order to prevent pressure being applied on investigators and commissions looking into the incident.
Tekebayev, an ex-parliamentary speaker of the Central Asian republic, was detained in Warsaw last Wednesday on suspicion of smuggling heroin in his luggage. He was released two days later, and Polish authorities apologized to him, saying they were convinced the MP was the victim of political intrigue.
His supporters claimed immediately after his detention that he was framed, and a parliamentary commission said Zhanysh Bakiyev was involved in the scandal.
President Bakiyev said his younger brother will be punished if his part in the incident is proved. He said three commissions are conducting the investigation.
He said two of his younger brothers are diplomats working abroad, another brother is a rural administration head, and a fourth runs a small business.
Bakiyev came to power in the wake of the "tulip revolution" last March promising to curb corruption and promote economic revitalization in the impoverished Central Asian state, which has been torn by powerful clans pursuing their narrow interests.
Tekebayev, who joined the opposition after resigning as speaker in February 2006, has repeatedly accused the president of failing to deliver on his election promises.
