Ex-president Nazarbayev isn’t at risk of prosecution

The only reason the first president of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev theoretically might be prosecuted is treason, but there is no ground for this, according to Kanat Musin, the minister of justice in Kazakhstan.

Concerning the daughters of the first president Dariga and Aliya Nazarbayev and their husbands, there are no references in the Constitution to the ex-president’s family, Musin said. The law on the first president doesn’t protect them.

On June 10, the Nur-Sultan court extended the detention of Kairat Boranbayev and Kairat Satybaldy, both relatives of Nazarbayev. They are accused of embezzlement.

While responding to the question on Article No.373 on legal prosecution for defamation of the first president’s honor and dignity, Musin said that this article is applied to all presidents, not just the first one.

«We have excluded any references to Elbasy (the Leader of the Nation, the former title of Nazarbayev) from the Constitution. At the same time, there is Article No.46 that says that honor and dignity of any president must be inviolable,» he said.

Musin also noted that the Criminal Code of the country will also be improved.

«We are going to remove the article about the penalty for defamation of the first president. However, the general article that brings specific penalty for defamation of a president of the Republic of Kazakhstan is going to stay,» the minister stated.

On June 5, the national referendum was held in Kazakhstan. About 77% of voters said yes to changes to the Constitution such as the removal of all references to Nazarbayev.