Did you know this about Zayac?

Back in 2020, during mass protests in Bishkek sparked by public outrage over the preliminary parliamentary election results, Bakyt “Zayac” Emilzhanov didn’t stay away from what was happening in his home city. Even before the elections, he encouraged people to vote — and when demonstrations began, he joined the crowds in the streets.

As the day went on, more and more people gathered on the central square of Bishkek. What started as a peaceful march eventually escalated into clashes between protesters and the police near the White House — the building that hosts both the parliament and the presidential administration. Zayac stayed close to the center of events, sharing photos from the scene, including images taken inside the parliament building after it was seized by protesters.

Those photos showed the corridors of power: meeting rooms, artwork on the walls, and the aftermath of the unrest outside.

And here’s something else you might not know

In 2023, Bakyt Emilzhanov earned the title “Master of Sport of the Kyrgyz Republic in Esports.”

According to the Ministry of Culture and Sports, this was the first time in the history of Kyrgyzstan that such a title was awarded to an esports player.

Zayac also met with the Minister of Culture, Altynbek Maksutov, where they discussed the work of the Kyrgyzstan Computer Sports Federation — the organization responsible for ensuring that Kyrgyz esports athletes compete at the World Championship and various international tournaments.