Kazakh Supreme Court suspends extradition of Chechen activist

Kazakhstan’s Supreme Court has suspended the extradition of Chechen activist Mansur Movlaev, extending his detention until a final decision is made on his refugee status.

The move follows a call by the UN Human Rights Committee urging Kazakhstan not to extradite him, Caliber.Az reports, citing Kazakh media.

The ruling was announced on February 24 and shared via live broadcast by Movlaev’s lawyer, Rena Kerimova.

“Under the decision, the extradition order against Movlaev (born December 12, 1995) is suspended until a final decision is made on granting him refugee status in Kazakhstan, in connection with the charges brought against him in Russia under Article 163 of the Russian Criminal Code (Part 1 and paragraph ‘d’ of Part 2),” the presiding judge said.

The court also ordered that the head of Almaty’s Department of Employment and Social Programs be immediately informed of the outcome of Movlaev’s application for refugee status and asylum.

The ruling effectively blocks Movlaev’s extradition while his application for refugee protection is under review, signaling Kazakhstan’s compliance with international human rights guidance and highlighting the sensitivity of cases involving politically active individuals.

By Vafa Guliyeva