The former head of the State Service for Combating Economic Crimes noted that his words were not intended to insult the writer but merely reflected his literary preferences. "What bad thing did I say about Chinghiz Aitmatov? I did not attack his character or call him a bad person. If I don't like his work, that is not a crime. I mentioned that I am fond of Persian poetry, reading Rumi and Omar Khayyam. My opinion should not provoke such a harsh reaction. If I said I didn't like Pushkin, would anyone be outraged?" Zhapikeev emphasized.
It is worth noting that on January 16, a podcast featuring Ernist Kyazov was released on YouTube, where they discussed the concept of "mankurtism" and Aitmatov's works. At that time, Zhapikeev characterized Aitmatov's works as "five-kopek stories" that do not inspire.
He added that he had not read the story about the mankurt but considers its plot not particularly significant. "There are writers who tell amazing stories. For example, his works about the first teacher or about the collective farm – these are simple stories. After watching a movie with Bruce Lee, you feel the urge to replicate his tricks, to be inspired by his image," he noted.
Zhapikeev's statements have sparked widespread resonance. Deputy Gulsharkan Kultaev and the Union of Writers of Kyrgyzstan have called on the prosecutor's office to evaluate his words.
