Prominent Kazakh political figure Viktor Khrapunov has been granted asylum in Switzerland, as has his ex-wife. The pair would risk unfair treatment back in Kazakhstan, the Federal Administrative Court ruled.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/dos
Русский
ru
Швейцария предоставила политическое убежище Лейле и Виктору Храпуновым
Viktor and Leila Khrapunov have been in Switzerland since 2008, when they fled Kazakhstan and set up in Geneva after falling out of favour with former president Nursultan Nazarbayev.External link
Khrapunov, who was once the mayor of Almaty – Kazakhstan’s largest city – had along with his wife been part of the elite circle, close to Nazarbayev.
Nazarbayev stepped down in 2019 after nearly three decades in power. However, the Federal Administrative Court ruled that the Khrapunovs would remain exposed and would run the risk of unfair proceedings back in Kazakhstan – a risk the court said was “asylum-relevant”.
The decision – which is final – overturns that of the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration, which had dismissed the couple’s claim.
It’s not the first time the Khrapunovs have been tied up with the Swiss legal system: in 2019, the Office of the Attorney General of Geneva closed its inquiry into suspected money laundering involving the pair, which had been prompted by a 2012 request for legal assistance by Kazakh authorities.
After leaving the country in 2008, he voiced his opposition from a distance, including in a published biography which criticised corruption among the Kazakh elite.
A Kazakh court sentenced him in October 2018 in absentia to 17 years in prison for embezzlement and corruption; and while living in Switzerland, the Khrapunov family were monitored by Kazakh authorities, who also targeted them via cyber attacks.
Popular Stories
More
Multinational companies
Azeri fossil-fuel cash cow brings controversy to Switzerland
Is artificial intelligence an advantage or a disadvantage for workers?
What is your experience with AI at work? Have you already used it? Has it helped you work better? Or has it caused you more stress, more work or caused you to lose your job? Tell us about your experiences!
Swiss price watchdog slams excessive prices for generic medicines
This content was published on
The cheapest generic medicines available in Switzerland are more than twice as expensive as in other countries, according to a study by the Swiss price watchdog.
Nature should not figure in net zero calculations: academic study
This content was published on
The natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere by forests or oceans should not be included in the net-zero balance of climate protection measures, argue researchers.
This content was published on
None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.
This content was published on
Nestlé's new CEO Laurent Freixe, has presented plans for the future of the world's largest food company, after his first few weeks in office.
Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war
This content was published on
It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
This content was published on
The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
This content was published on
Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss dismiss Kazakh money laundering case
This content was published on
The Geneva prosecutor's office has closed a probe into suspected money laundering involving the former mayor of Kazakhstan's largest city.
Court re-opens investigation into Kazakh spying case
This content was published on
The Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona has asked the Attorney General to re-open the investigation into allegations of state-sponsored surveillance and hacking made by Kazakh national Victor Khrapunov. Khrapunov, ex-mayor of Almaty who has been living in Switzerland since 2008, has filed several cases claiming Kazakh government surveillance and harassment – such as installing a…
Swiss oil trader accused of profiting from ties to elites in Kazakhstan
This content was published on
The NGO Public Eye has accused Vitol of using a discreet joint venture to conceal links to powerful elites in Kazakhstan.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.