1. Introduction The political context of the case of Mukhtar Ablyazov has been repeatedly referred to in the statements of human rights organisations, members of the European Parliament and the PACE. Russia and Ukraine are not safe countries for extradition as these countries do not guarantee the right to a…

Early presidential elections resemble a staged play under the facade of democracy. Uncompetitive elections are a way for Nazarbayev to consolidate autocratic power.

Illegal cooperation with the Kazakh authorities discredits the new leadership of the Ukrainian law enforcement agencies

International refugee status no longer guarantees protection from political persecution. Non-democratic states are using more and more sophisticated methods of oppression, exploiting Interpol mechanisms in order to set ‘traps’ for their opponents abroad.

Jan Olbrycht, Jacek Saryusz-Wolski and Jarosław Leszek Wałęsa lodged a written inquiry with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy concerning the extradition procedure ongoing with regards to Mukhtar Ablyazov.

Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the International Federation for Human Rights, the French League of Human Rights and other human rights organisations have repeatedly underlined the political nature of the case of Mukhtar Ablyazov

Statements by Kazakh authorities about intolerance of torture and willingness to cooperate with civil society in addressing this issue remain declarative and are not implemented efficiently in practice.

In his letter to President of France, Francois Hollande, Member of the Polish Parliament, Tomasz Makowski, called for "a large measure of self-control in cooperation with the Republic of Kazakhstan until the country steps onto the path of respect for human rights and democratic change".

The decision to authorize the extradition to Russia of Kazakhstani banker and opposition figure Mukhtar Ablyazov by the Lyon Court of Appeal (France) has set in motion a procedure that may eventually see him forcibly returned to Kazakhstan, where he is wanted on fraud charges, Amnesty International

On Thursday, 30 October 2014, the Polish MEP Kosma Złotowski, a member of the EURONEST Eastern Partnership Parliamentary Assembly, has written to French, Ukrainian and Polish governmental representatives on the case of Mukhtar Ablyazov

Amnesty International has issued a statement on the decision by the court in Lyon to authorise the extradition of the Kazakh banker and oppositionist, Mukhtar Ablyazov.

On 9 April, 2014, the French court cancelled the decision on the extradition of the Kazakh opposition activist, Mukhtar Ablyazov and ordered the case undergo further consideration.