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France to extradite Kazakh tycoon Mukhtar Ablyazov | France to extradite Kazakh tycoon Mukhtar Ablyazov |
(35 minutes later) | |
A French court has ruled that a Kazakh tycoon and dissident, Mukhtar Ablyazov, should be extradited to Russia or Ukraine to face fraud charges. | A French court has ruled that a Kazakh tycoon and dissident, Mukhtar Ablyazov, should be extradited to Russia or Ukraine to face fraud charges. |
He is accused of stealing billions of dollars from the Kazakh BTA Bank, which also operates in Russia and Ukraine. | He is accused of stealing billions of dollars from the Kazakh BTA Bank, which also operates in Russia and Ukraine. |
The court said Russia should take priority. He was arrested on the French Riviera last July. | The court said Russia should take priority. He was arrested on the French Riviera last July. |
He denies the allegations. His children say his life would be in danger if he were to be transferred to Kazakhstan. | He denies the allegations. His children say his life would be in danger if he were to be transferred to Kazakhstan. |
Both Ukraine and Russia have requested his extradition. His lawyer said he would appeal against the ruling. | Both Ukraine and Russia have requested his extradition. His lawyer said he would appeal against the ruling. |
The US-based organisation Human Rights Watch says that if returned to Kazakhstan, Ablyazov would be "at serious risk of ill-treatment and would face a flagrant denial of his fair trial rights". | |
He is a former Kazakh energy and trade minister, who fled Kazakhstan in 2009. | He is a former Kazakh energy and trade minister, who fled Kazakhstan in 2009. |
Last November the English High Court found Ablyazov had defrauded BTA Bank of $300m (£183m) in investment bonds, and ordered him to pay $400m to BTA. | |
The judgement relates to one of 11 sets of legal proceedings against Ablyazov in England. | |
Ablyazov, 50, says the allegations against him are politically motivated and designed to eliminate him as a rival to Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev. | |
Human rights campaigners have accused President Nazarbayev of silencing independent media and persecuting political opponents, as well as using the police and courts to keep a tight grip on power. | Human rights campaigners have accused President Nazarbayev of silencing independent media and persecuting political opponents, as well as using the police and courts to keep a tight grip on power. |