![Mukhtar Ablyazov. ©RIA Novosti](/userdata/news_en/2014/news_25995/thumb_b/photo_37292.jpg)
The Head of the International Cooperation Department for Major Cases of Russian General Prosecutor's Office Denis Grunis talked about the case of fugitive Kazakhstan banker Mukhtar Ablyazov in his interview to Interfax-Kazakhstan Tengrinews reports. According to the prosecutor, that the French Court views Russia's request to extradite the ex-Chairman of Kazakhstan-based BTA Bank Mukhtar Ablyazov as grounded and disagrees with the banker that the fraud cases are politically motivated. Denis Grunis says that he gave a detailed explanation “of the scheme that Ablyazov used to commit his crimes, that were pretty sophisticated” and informed the French court about the findings and decisions of the Russian courts in regards to Ablyazov's accomplices in Russia. "I have showed that there is no political motivation in the prosecution of Mukhtar Ablyazov," Grunis stresses adding that he assured the French court that "all the human rights and freedoms of Mr Ablyazov will be carefully observed after he is extradited to Russia." In the same hearing the General Advocate (Deputy Prosecutor General) of the French court of appeals confirmed that “the extradition request of the General Prosecutor's Office of Russia is completely reasonable.” “She said that the doings Ablyazov is accused of by the Russian law enforcement authorities are considered serious crimes in France. She added that being a multi-billionaire Ablyazov could afford to buy anything he wanted, fund opposition political parties and create a committee of international human rights watchdogs to defend him, but he could not buy the French Justice,” Grunis says about the hearing in France. After all these arguments "the French Court agreed that the request of the Russian General Prosecutor’s Office to extradite Mukhtar Ablyazov was justified,” he says. The oligarch was arrested in July by 15 French police officers in a dramatic raid on the six-bedroom villa he was renting in Mouans-Sartoux, with a helicopter hovered over the villa in case he tried to escape. He repeatedly requested a release on bail, but was denied bail both times, as the French court feared that the rich Kazakhstani who can buy his way out of basically anything would flee as soon as he steps out of jail. On January 9, 2014 the French court of Aix-en-Provence approved the extradition requests for the exiled Kazakh oligarch Mukhtar Ablyazov from both Russia and Ukraine, but ruled that Russia should take priority. A week later Mukhtar Ablyazov's lawyer appealed the French country's extradition ruling.
The Head of the International Cooperation Department for Major Cases of Russian General Prosecutor's Office Denis Grunis talked about the case of fugitive Kazakhstan banker Mukhtar Ablyazov in his interview to Interfax-Kazakhstan Tengrinews reports.
According to the prosecutor, that the French Court views Russia's request to extradite the ex-Chairman of Kazakhstan-based BTA Bank Mukhtar Ablyazov as grounded and disagrees with the banker that the fraud cases are politically motivated.
Denis Grunis says that he gave a detailed explanation “of the scheme that Ablyazov used to commit his crimes, that were pretty sophisticated” and informed the French court about the findings and decisions of the Russian courts in regards to Ablyazov's accomplices in Russia.
"I have showed that there is no political motivation in the prosecution of Mukhtar Ablyazov," Grunis stresses adding that he assured the French court that "all the human rights and freedoms of Mr Ablyazov will be carefully observed after he is extradited to Russia."
In the same hearing the General Advocate (Deputy Prosecutor General) of the French court of appeals confirmed that “the extradition request of the General Prosecutor's Office of Russia is completely reasonable.”
“She said that the doings Ablyazov is accused of by the Russian law enforcement authorities are considered serious crimes in France.
She added that being a multi-billionaire Ablyazov could afford to buy anything he wanted, fund opposition political parties and create a committee of international human rights watchdogs to defend him, but he could not buy the French Justice,” Grunis says about the hearing in France.
After all these arguments "the French Court agreed that the request of the Russian General Prosecutor’s Office to extradite Mukhtar Ablyazov was justified,” he says.
The oligarch was arrested in July by 15 French police officers in a dramatic raid on the six-bedroom villa he was renting in Mouans-Sartoux, with a helicopter hovered over the villa in case he tried to escape.
He repeatedly requested a release on bail, but was denied bail both times, as the French court feared that the rich Kazakhstani who can buy his way out of basically anything would flee as soon as he steps out of jail.
On January 9, 2014 the French court of Aix-en-Provence approved the extradition requests for the exiled Kazakh oligarch Mukhtar Ablyazov from both Russia and Ukraine, but ruled that Russia should take priority.
A week later Mukhtar Ablyazov's lawyer appealed the French country's extradition ruling.