crossing the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border on March 25, 2017, he was detained and taken to the pre-trial detention center of the State Committee for National Security on charges of organizing mass riots and taking hostage of Emilbek Kaptagaev, the governor of Issyk-Kul Oblast. Zhaparov was sentenced to 11 years and 6 months in prison.
In March 2017, Zhaparov released a video message where he spoke about Kumtor and the Megacom mobile operator and expressed his confidence that the company should remain in state ownership. In his video message he also announced that is returning to his homeland.
On the day of his arrival, he was detained at a checkpoint with Kazakhstan and taken to a temporary detention center, and then he was convicted and imprisoned.
On October 5, 2020, mass protests began in Kyrgyzstan against the results of the parliamentary elections. On the morning of October 6, protesters led by Kamchybek Tashiev (Zhaparov’s friend), released Sadyr Zhaparov and took him to the central square of Bishkek, where he made a speech and was supported by the participants of the protest action.
On October 6, 2020, MPs approved the appointment of Zhaparov to the post of Prime Minister of the country, despite the contestation of other applicants.
Since October 15, 2020, after the resignation of President Sooronbai Jeenbekov, he began to act as the President of Kyrgyzstan. On November 14, 2020, he announced his decision to participate in the early presidential elections in Kyrgyzstan.
In January 2021, Zhaparov won the elections, receiving 79.2% of the votes. The inauguration ceremony of Sadyr Zhaparov took place on January 28, 2021.