Exiled Kazakh businessman granted political asylum by Britain
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 14 July 2011 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Exiled Kazakh businessman granted political asylum by Britain, 14 July 2011, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4e39055023.html [accessed 3 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Last updated (GMT/UTC): 14.07.2011 11:08
Mukhtar Ablyazov (file photo)
ASTANA – The fugitive former chairman of Kazakhstan's BTA Bank has been granted political asylum in Britain, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reports.
Former BTA Bank President Roman Solodchenko told RFE/RL today that Britain's Home Office has confirmed political asylum for Mukhtar Ablyazov, whose wife and children will be allowed to remain in Britain with him.
In his application for political asylum, Ablyazov said he would face persecution if he returned to Kazakhstan.
The bank is pursuing claims against Ablyazov in a U.K. court for alleged fraud of $4 billion. In January, the Kazakh Prosecutor-General's Office requested that British authorities extradite him on separate charges.
Ablyazov managed BTA when it was the country's largest private bank, but he later had a falling out with government officials and fled to London in 2009. The bank was subsequently nationalized by the Kazakh government.
Ablyazov has accused Kazakh government officials, President Nursultan Nazarbaev, and many of Nazarbaev's family members of being involved in large-scale corruption and embezzlement.
Ahmad Wali Karzai was shot dead by a trusted family security guard at his home in Kandahar city.
He had long been accused of amassing a fortune from the drugs trade, intimidating rivals, and having links to the CIA, all charges that he strongly denied.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was one of the militant movement's "greatest achievements."
In the United States, White House spokesman Jay Carney said the Obama administration sent its condolences to Karzai's family.
The State Department also condemned the murder, with department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland saying that "violence is never the answer for getting to democratic progress that we all seek."
"And as you probably know," Nuland added, "the U.S. has worked with Governor Karzai as we work with governors around the country to try to make common cause to end corruption, to eradicate the drug trade, etc."
General David Petraeus, the outgoing top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, said NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in the country would support the government "in every possible way to bring justice to those involved."
compiled from Reuters reports
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
