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Kazakhstan, Supreme court

Kazakhstan’s Supreme Court Rejects Appeals From Jailed Opposition Figures

Former Banker Mukhtar Ablyazov and Ex-Minister Mukhtar Dzhakishev Sentenced to Lengthy Prison Terms

Court Upholds Convictions Related to Embezzlement and Money Laundering

Kazakhstan’s Supreme Court has rejected appeals from two prominent opposition figures, upholding their convictions and lengthy prison sentences. Mukhtar Ablyazov, a former banker, and Mukhtar Dzhakishev, a former minister, were both found guilty of embezzlement and money laundering in 2017. Ablyazov was sentenced to 20 years in prison, while Dzhakishev received a 14-year sentence.

Both men have denied the charges against them, calling them politically motivated. They have also accused the Kazakh government of human rights violations, including torture and arbitrary detention. The Supreme Court’s ruling is a setback for the opposition in Kazakhstan, where the government has been accused of cracking down on dissent.

Ablyazov, a former chairman of BTA Bank, fled Kazakhstan in 2009 after being accused of embezzling billions of dollars from the bank. He was arrested in France in 2013 and extradited to Russia in 2015. In 2017, he was convicted of embezzlement and money laundering in Kazakhstan and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Dzhakishev, a former minister of economy, was arrested in 2015 and charged with embezzlement and money laundering. He was convicted in 2017 and sentenced to 14 years in prison. Dzhakishev has said that he was tortured while in custody and that his confession was coerced.

The Supreme Court’s ruling is likely to further strain relations between Kazakhstan and its Western partners. The United States and the European Union have repeatedly called on Kazakhstan to respect human rights and to release political prisoners.