Mukhtar Ablyazov

Mukhtar Ablyazov
Мұхтар Әблязов
Leader of Democratic Choice
Incumbent
Assumed office
20 April 2017
Preceded byOffice established
Minister of Energy, Industry and Trade
In office
21 April 1998 – October 1999
PresidentNursultan Nazarbayev
Prime MinisterNurlan Balgimbayev
(1998–1999)
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
(1999)
Preceded byAsygat Jabagin
Succeeded byVladimir Shkolnik
Personal details
Born (1963-05-16) 16 May 1963 (age 61)
Vannovka, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union
(now Turar Rysqulov, Kazakhstan)
Political partyDemocratic Choice (2001–2005, 2017–present)
Spouse
Alma Shalabayeva
​
(m. 1987)​
Children4
Alma materMoscow Engineering Physics Institute
OccupationBusinessman
Websiteablyazov.org

Mukhtar Qabyluly Ablyazov (Kazakh: Мұхтар Қабылұлы Әблязов, Mūhtar Qabylūly Äbliazov; born 16 May 1963) is a Kazakh businessman and political activist who served as chairman of Bank Turan Alem (BTA Bank),[1] and is a co-founder and a leader of the unregistered political party Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (QDT).[2] He was also the former head of the state-owned Kazakhstan Electricity Grid Operating Company (KEGOC) as well as briefly holding the position of Minister for Energy, Industry, and Trade under Balgimbayev's cabinet before resigning from and joining the opposition against President Nursultan Nazarbayev.[3] In November 2001, he, along with other former Kazakh government officials founded the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (QDT). As result, Ablyazov was imprisoned in March 2002 over accusations of financial fraud and political abuse until being pardoned by Nazarbayev in 2003. After being released from prison, he ceased his formal political activities with the opposition.

Ablyazov has been accused of embezzling $6 billion from BTA Bank while serving as chairman.[4] In 2015, a French court in Lyon issued an extradition order.[5] However, in December 2016, France's highest administrative court, the Conseil d'Etat, canceled the extradition order, on the ground that Russia had a political motive in making the extradition request.[6] Ablyazov was subsequently released from the Fleury-Mérogis Prison and was believed to reside in Paris.[7] The UK High Court of Justice has twice issued arrest warrants on Ablyazov; most recently on 25 July 2019, and extended to 22 months a court-ordered detention originating in 2012 for a contempt of court judgement.[8] In September 2020, Ablyazov obtained the status of political refugee in France.[9] On December 9, 2022, CNDA finally deprived Ablyazov of political asylum in France.[10] In July 2023, Ablyazov posted on his Facebook that he was ordered to leave French territory within 30 days.[11]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference ft-20130705 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Diplomat, Catherine Putz, The. "Kazakhstan's Ever-Shrinking Political Arena". The Diplomat. Retrieved 16 February 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ "Biography". en.mukhtarablyazov.org. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  4. ^ "English judge says fugitive oligarch defrauded Kazakh bank BTA". Reuters. Archived from the original on 5 April 2017.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference ReutersCanceled was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference AFPRelease was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ "High Court in London renews arrest warrant for fugitive Kazakh banker". The Astana Times.
  9. ^ "La France accorde l'asile politique au principal opposant kazakh". Le Monde.fr (in French). 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  10. ^ "Мухтар Аблязов окончательно лишился статуса беженца по решению суда Франции". kaztag.kz (in Russian). 9 December 2022.
  11. ^ "Беглому банкиру Аблязову предписали покинуть Францию". Rbc.ru (in Russian). 5 July 2023.