PARIS (AP) — A top French court refused to hand over a Kazakh banker-turned-dissident to Russia despite accusations he embezzled millions, saying it considered the extradition request from Moscow to be “politically motivated.”
Hours after Friday’s ruling, Mukhtar Ablyazov walked free from a French prison, hugging his son, brother and lawyer. It was a surprise twist in a winding legal saga that has lasted years and spanned several countries.
Ablyazov’s lawyers had asked France’s Council of State to block his extradition, fearing Russia would quickly send him back to Kazakhstan.
The Council of State noted in its decision that the Kazakh and Russian …read more
Source: KXAN
