Kazakhstan will not extradite: the authorities of this country have facilitated the conditions of stay for foreigners

Leonid Zlotnikov

Kazakhstan will not extradite people to countries where they are expected to be repressed," telegram channels report.

"We are talking only about a ban on the expulsion of a person only to a state where he may face unfair persecution", - sources from the entourage of the President of Kazakhstan Kassym—Jomart Tokayev said.

"This means that if a foreigner who has escaped from his country has violated the Kazakh law, he will not be sent home, but somewhere else. The scheme is complicated, but humane. And it is possible that Blinken inspired Kazakhstan to consider these amendments during a long and fruitful visit. No wonder the US Secretary of State went to Kazakhstan. Now it will be easier for all those who escaped from Russia to breathe there...", - the Procurator channel comments on this news. 

As already reported, during the visit of US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to Kazakhstan earlier this week, Tokayev said that his country intends to develop strategic cooperation with the US and the West:

"We are ready to further develop this cooperation," he said, adding that he was grateful to the American authorities for "supporting independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty." According to Tokayev, Kazakhstan notes the "reliability" and long-term nature of the partnership in the field of security, energy, trade and investment.

The media also note that since March 1, Kazakhstan has significantly facilitated the conditions of stay for some categories of foreign citizens, which, of course, means fugitives from partial mobilization from Russia. According to official data, about 3 million Russian citizens entered Kazakhstan in 2022, although mostly in transit. But now there are about 300 thousand Russians there, of whom only 30 thousand are employed, and another 20 are studying. The mass arrival of Russian citizens in 2022 significantly affected the prices for renting and buying housing and air tickets in Kazakhstan.

Now, in fact, the authorities of this country have invited doctors and engineers to stay, promising them a simplified residence permit for up to 10 years. The list includes: neurosurgeons, oncologists, endocrinologists, architects, engineers of 11 specializations and others – a total of 21 representatives of one specialty.

Kommersant columnist Dmitry Drize even congratulated Kazakhstan: 

"In general, the republic can be congratulated: its influence — in Asia in general and in the post—Soviet space in particular - is growing literally every day. So, you see, it will become the financial and business center of the former USSR and Central Asia. (...) Of course, much, if not everything, depends on the further development of events. But while the scenario is not in favor of Russia, let's say..."