Nur Bank Scandal Kazakhstan

Extradition request once again rejected

Today, a court in Vienna rejected to extradite Rakhat Aliyev and his aides back to Kazakhstan. The men are accused of kidnapping two bank managers and were sentenced to a long-term prison penalty by a Kazakh court.

Meanwhile, the bodies of the two managers were found, two German forensic experts after examining the corpses said that they were tortured and murdered.

The lawyer of the two widows said after the decision by the Austrian judge that he in his professional life never could expect such a dilettant behaviour by the judicial system of his country. He said that it is a failure, commenting the decision.

It is most likely that a new extradition request, now for murder, will be issued by the Kazakh authorities, together with a legal suit before the European Court for Human Rights.

Austrian TV: Interview with Rakhad Aliyev

Austrian TV: Interview with Rakhad Aliyev from Tse Grad on Vimeo.

Statement ETG on press conference of Aliyev's lawyers in Vienna today (in German)

Erklärung der Eurasian Transition Group:

Der Vorstand der Eurasian Transition Group, e.V. gibt zum Pressegespräch der Kanzlei Brandstetter am 02.09.2009 in Wien folgende Erklärung ab:

Die im Pressebriefing der Rechtsanwaltskanzlei Brandstetter im Namen ihres Mandanten Dr. Rakhad Aliyev präsentierten Dokumente, welche beweisen sollen, dass unsere Organisation Teil des kasachischen Geheimdienstes oder der Regierung sei, sind unbegründet und führen in die Sackgasse.
More ...

TV report on Aliyev and the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee in Vienna

Former Kazakh KNB head speaks on Aliev's role In kidnappings

The former chief of Kazakhstan's Committee of National Security (KNB) says the former son-in-law of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev "might" have been involved in the kidnapping of two high-ranking bankers in Kazakhstan.More ...

The Aliyev Empire is striking back

After the second meeting of the Austrian Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry today and a demonstration, organized by relatives of the missing Nur Bank managers, the Aliyev Empire is striking back.

All began with the statement by A. Musayev, the former Chief of the Kazakh KNB and close ally of Dr. Aliyev this weekend, stating that all accusations against the former Ambassador of Kazakhstan in Austria are in fact true and that Aliyev himself gave the order to make an attempt on Musayev’s life.

Later on, a lawyer who represents the families of the Nur Bank managers made a statement, in which he announced legal proceedings against a local Governor in Lower Austriaa and a prosecutor in Vienna, claiming that both officials helped Aliyev to receive the permission to stay in Austria and that the prosecutor backed Aliyev during the judicial investigations. In addition, Austrian politicians said that they received informations about the transfer of bribes by Aliyev to accounts of organizations close to the political and social life in Austria.
All this might also be a part of parliamentary investigations in Austria.

Today, Dr. Aliyev published a statement, in which he accuses ETG and Michael Laubsch of being a paid lobbyist for the Kazakh KNB. He said the following: „ ... It is also a fact that through the German lobbyist Michael Laubsch and ETG (Eurasian Transition Group), which he controls, unbelievable and smeared accusations against the Austrian judicial system we brought up and I can prove, that this Mr. Laubsch, who claims to be independent, is in a close and friendly contact with KNB-agents in Vienna. I already handed over the evidence material to Austrian officials“. (this is an unofficial translation; the original text can be found at the bottom of this article).

ETG and Michael in person underline the fact that there was never a contact with KNB officials regarding the Aliyev case, nor was any other dialogue with Kazakh secret services. In addition to this fact, ETG will consider legal proceedings against Dr. Aliyev, because those accusations only have their grounds in the mind of a person, who lost all his power.

In the past, ETG kept silence concerning several attempts by Aliyev in attacking ETG on a legal and personal basis; it is worth saying that all attempts did not work, nor had a basis. But now we are convinced to make those attacks public, for our own safety and security.

Eurasian Transition Group
Michael Laubsch

The original text, written by Dr. Rakhat Aliyev:

„Faktum ist auch, dass über den deutschen Lobbyisten Laubsch und
die von ihm kontrollierte Organisation "ETG" (Eurasian Transition
Group) unglaubliche und geradezu hetzerische Angriffe gegen die
österreichische Justiz publiziert wurden, und ich kann beweisen, dass
dieser Herr Laubsch, der sich als unabhängig gibt, in engem und
freundschaftlichem Kontakt zu kasachischen KGB-Agenten in der
Botschaft in Wien steht. Dieses Beweismaterial habe ich mittlerweile
den österreichischen Behörden übermittelt.“


Former Head of KNB leaves his former ally (in Russian)

Бывший глава казахстанского КНБ Альнур Мусаев выступил с сенсационным заявлением в австрийской массовой газете Krone. Оно касается бывшего зятя президента Казахстана Рахата Алиева.More ...

Nazarbayev received a gift (in Russian)

Назарбаев получил подарок

В Австрии разворачивается скандал вокруг бывшего зятя казахского президента
версия для печати
More ...

Alnur Musayev broke with Rakhat Aliyev (in Russian)

Политэмигрант Альнур Мусаев, осужденный в Казахстане к 35 годам тюрьмы, дал интервью нашему радио Азаттык. Он говорит, что провел свое расследование исчезновения двух менеджеров Нурбанка и пришел к новым открытиям.
More ...

Kazakh officials deny involvement in Austrian spy scandal

Kazakh officials have denied any involvement in an espionage scandal in which two Austrian policemen were arrested for spying for Kazakhstan. More ...

Two Austrian policemen detained for spying for Kazakhstan

The prosecutor's office in Vienna has confirmed that two Austrian policemen have been arrested for allegedly spying for Kazakhstan, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reports.More ...

Rakhat Aliyev: Racketeer or Reformer?

The controversy surrounding Rakhat Aliyev, the former son-in-law of President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan, who has been found guilty in absentia of kidnap and racketeering, has recently spilled into the columns of US and European newspapers. More ...

Kazakh Ministry rejects Aliev's blackmail accusations

The Kazakh Foreign Ministry has officially rejected accusations that the government was involved in a campaign to blackmail former presidential son-in-law Rakhat Aliev, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reports. More ...

Austria hears witnesses in Kazakh kidnapping case

An Austrian court began hearing witnesses Tuesday in a kidnapping case involving Rakhat Aliyev, the former son-in-law of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, a group representing the victims said.More ...

Austrian justice investigates accusations against Aliyev again (in Russian)

В Австрии органы юстиции и СМИ снова обнаружили интерес к так называемому делу Р. Алиева
 
По прошествии полутора лет после того, как венский суд принял решение не экстрадировать в Казахстан бывшего посла республики в Вене, бывшего заместителя председателя КНБ и, что немаловажно, бывшего зятя президента Н. Назарбаева, прокурор земельного суда Вены во вторник заслушал свидетельницу из Казахстана А. Капашеву.More ...

A new witness in the Aliyev-case appeared



More ...

Justice Department in Austria: Aliyev case on the run again

After ETG’s press release in December 2008, the Austrian officials now got the order from the Government to the case against R. Aliyev, former Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, Ambassador and, last but not least, son-in-law of the Kazakh President. Follow-up the article by „Der Standard“ here, ETG will publish an unofficial translation later.

More ...

New Government in Austria uncomfortable with Aliyev

After the collapse of the Austrian Government under Chancellor Gusenbauer and the early elections with a new government the new political leadership at the Danube would like to reassess the case of R. Aliyev, who was convicted in absentia in 2007 for a long-term sentence by a Kazakh Court of a variety of charges, including kidnapping and foundation of a criminal organization. Although Kazakh authorities asked for the extradition of the former Kazakh Ambassador in Austria in 2007, a Vienna court turned down Astana's extradition request for Aliyev, saying he could not expect a fair Kazakh trial. Meanwhile, authorities in Vienna were still discussing the possibility of bringing action against the former son-in-law of the Kazakh President under Austrian law.

More ...