Recently, media reports emerged stating that the Federal Court of Brooklyn (New York) sentenced Kyrgyz citizen Sergey Zharnovnikov to three years and three months in prison for participating in a conspiracy to illegally export firearms from the USA, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
In connection with this situation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic issued an official statement clarifying that this citizen was detained by law enforcement agencies of the United States in 2025.
Following the court proceedings, on January 22, 2026, he was convicted and sentenced to imprisonment.
Since his detention, Kyrgyz consular offices in the USA promptly established contact with him and provided the necessary consular assistance. Continuous interaction with the citizen was maintained, and consultations aimed at protecting his rights and legitimate interests were provided in accordance with international law and the legislation of the country where he was located.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to actively work on issues related to the detention of citizens of Kyrgyzstan within the framework of its consular powers.
