HRW urges France not to extradite Ablyazov
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 8 August 2013 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, HRW urges France not to extradite Ablyazov, 8 August 2013, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/521f462fb.html [accessed 28 May 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. |
August 08, 2013
By RFE/RL
Mukhtar Ablyazov (file photo)
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on the French authorities not to extradite Mukhtar Ablyazov, a fugitive Kazakh former banker and a vocal critic of Kazakhstan's longtime President Nursultan Nazarbaev.
In a statement on August 8, HRW said that in Kazakhstan, Ablyazov would be at "serious risk of ill-treatment and would face a flagrant denial of his fair-trial rights."
It said the French authorities also should not send him to any country that might return him to Kazakhstan.
Ablyazov is wanted in Kazakhstan on embezzlement charges, which he says are politically motivated.
He fled the country in 2009.
He is also sought by Russia and Ukraine on related fraud charges.
He was arrested in southern France on July 31 at Ukraine's request.
Kazakhstan has no extradition agreement with France, but it has bilateral agreements with Russia and Ukraine.
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
