In Kazakhstan, the nephew of former President Nursultan Nazarbayev arrested

Nursultan Nazarbayev, May 1, 2016. REUTERS / Shamil Zhumatov / File Photo

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Kairat Satybaldy is the first member of Nursultan Nazarbayev's family to be arrested after the violent events in early January.

Events that he is suspected of having partly organized, as part of a coup attempt, according to numerous press articles.

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From our correspondent in Central Asia

,

Régis Genté

The arrest, this Sunday, March 13, of Kairat Satybaldy was motivated by the Kazakh authorities by a case of illegal enrichment.

It concerns the Kazakhtelecom company, in which Mr. Nazarbayev's favorite nephew holds 24% of the shares.

But the wording of the statement from the former Soviet Republic's Anti-Corruption Agency also speaks of "

crimes threatening state security

."

This wording suggests that it is Mr. Satybaldy's role in the bloody events in Almaty at the beginning of January that is in question.

► To read also: Kazakhstan: the clan of the ex-president maneuvering during the riots to keep power

The powerful nephew of the former president is suspected by the press and several government sources of having organized chaos in the country's economic capital, in order to lead to the resignation of his uncle's successor, the head of state of Kazakhstan. since 2019, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

He would then have acted in intelligence with police forces and security services, and brought criminals and radical Muslim groups into town to achieve his ends.

► Also to listen

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Dispute in Kazakhstan: "There has been a liberalization effort but we do not know who is running the country"

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  • Kazakhstan

  • Nursultan Nazarbayev

  • Corruption