Kazakhstan’s minister of justice comments on arrest of Nazarbayev’s nephew

While responding to a question about what he is thinking of the legal side of the arrest of Kairat Satybaldy, nephew of the first president Nursultan Nazarbayev, Kanat Musin, the country’s minister of justice pointed out that the constitutional law on the first president covers members of his immediate family, not nephews, Sputnik Kazakhstan reported.

He denied the possibility of legal prosecution of Nursultan Nazarbayev and his daughter Dariga Nazarbayeva.

«We cannot detain or arrest these individuals. This is a law. However, there are no problems with asking them questions and receiving answers,» said Kanat Music.

He believes that law enforcement officials can get a response from Nursultan Nazarbayev or his daughter if needed without them being detained or arrested.

According to Musin, the ministry of justice isn’t going to change the law on the first president, which guarantees protection for Nazarbayev and members of his family.

On March 13, Kazakhstan’s law enforcement officers detained Kairat Satybaldy, the eldest nephew of Nursultan Nazarbayev in the Almaty airport while he was trying to leave the country and head to Dubai. Satybaldy is accused of abuse of power and embezzlement of a huge amount of money in Kazakhtelecom, a national provider of telecommunication services.

Three days after this arrest the police also detained Gulmira Satybaldy, wife of Kairat Satybaldy. She is accused of illegal seizure of a business.

Another nephew of the first president Samat Abish was discharged from the National Security Committee. Until January 17, 2022, he was the first deputy head of the agency.