Once sentenced on hostage-taking charges, Sadyr Japarov assumes office as president of Central Asian country.

Axar.az reports citing foreign media that Kyrgyzstan's Sadyr Japarov, once sentenced on hostage-taking charges, was sworn in on Thursday as the president of the Central Asian country.

He was elected as the sixth president of the ex-Soviet country with 79.20% of votes cast on Jan. 10 polls, when more than 1.3 million out of over 3.5 million registered voters cast their ballots.

Meanwhile, Kyrgyz people chose a presidential form of government over a parliamentary one in a national referendum held in parallel to the presidential vote.

Japarov, 52, who appeared on the stage in the ceremony hall accompanied by the Epic of Manas, received the presidential certificate of election from Nurjan Shaildabekova, the head of the Central Election Commission.