We are pleased to inform you that on 29 September 2020, the National Asylum Court of France delivered a historical decision granting refugee status to Kazakhstani opposition leader Mukhtar Ablyazov.

We are pleased to inform you that on 29 September 2020, the National Asylum Court of France delivered a historical decision granting refugee status to Kazakhstani opposition leader Mukhtar Ablyazov.
Oleg Sentsov, a Ukrainian film director who spent five years detained in a Russian prison, and Lyudmyla Kozlovska, President of the Open Dialogue Foundation, who was expelled from Poland by the Law and Justice government, met in Strasburg with French President Emmanuel Macron. An account of the visi
Despite the news of Lyudmyla Kozlovska having received a residence permit from Belgium, French president Emmanuel Macron has decided to send words of support to former Polish president Lech Wałęsa and – indirectly – to Lyudmyla Kozlovska. The first president of post-communist Poland and Nobel Peace
The ODF President Lyudmyla Kozlovska took part in two international events. The first one, organised by the ALDE party in Visegrad, Hungary on 1-2 December, focused on the “bright future of liberalism” in Europe. The second was organised by the Sorbonne University in Paris on December 15th.
The ODF President Lyudmyla Kozlovska took part in two international events. The first one, organised by the ALDE party in Visegrad, Hungary on 1-2 December, focused on the “bright future of liberalism” in Europe. The second was organised by the Sorbonne University in Paris on December 15th.
Between Monday 8 and Thursday 11 October 2018, a delegation of the ODF attended the Fourth part-session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg.
Between Monday 8 and Thursday 11 October 2018, a delegation of the ODF attended the Fourth part-session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg.
In the news section of the 28th issue of “Les Droits de l’Homme en Europe Orientale et dans l’Espace post-sovietique”, the Journal of the French Human Rights League (LDH) includes an article written by the Open Dialog Foundation concerning the situation of human rights in authoritarian countries.
On Monday, 3 July, 2017, during the European Parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg, a debate on the macro-financial assistance to Moldova was held.
On Tuesday, 27 June, 2017 during the Summer plenary session of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), the Open Dialog Foundation organized a thematic discussion about “Political Persecution in Ukraine and Moldova. How political corruption undermines reformers’ efforts”.
The Open Dialog Foundation and Members of the PACE Mr Serhiy Kiral and Mrs Kristýna Zelienková are happy to invite to an expert seminar “Political Persecution in Ukraine and Moldova. How political corruption undermines reformers’ efforts”, which will be held in Strasbourg on Tuesday 27 June 2017.
On Tuesday 16 May, 2017, during the European Parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg, a debate on the current political, reform agenda and human rights situation in Moldova was held.
On Wednesday, 26 April, 2017, experts, politicians, NGOs and victims of abusive Red Notices gathered at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to assess current improvements and challenges of INTERPOL’s system and provide recommendations on reforms of INTERPOL.
Member of the Parliament Mr Dr. Bernd Fabritius and the Open Dialog Foundation organise an expert seminar to assess its findings, comment on the reform adopted by INTERPOL so far, discuss present challenges related to abuse of the INTERPOL system and project the future in this regard.
Between 14 and 16 February, 2017, a delegation of the Open Dialog Foundation was present at a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The aim of the visit was to discuss the current human rights, political and economic situation in Kazakhstan.
The Kazakhstani regime, and, in particular, President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s lobbyists have done everything in their power to make the first meeting with the opposition politician particularly memorable.
The Kazakhstani regime, and, in particular, President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s lobbyists have done everything in their power to make the first meeting with the opposition politician particularly memorable.
On 9 December 2016, France’s State Council (Conseil d’Etat) rejected Russia’s request for the extradition of the Kazakh opposition politician and businessman Mukhtar Ablyazov. The request for Ablyazov’s extradition was recognised as politically motivated.
Breaking news: France has refused to extradite Mukhtar Ablyazov to Russia and Ukraine. The decision of the French Conseil d’Etat is final. He is going to leave the arrest after 3 years.
On 10-14 October 2016, during the 4th plenary session of the PACE, a world-wide #StopPutinsWarInUkraine action will take place and photos of political prisoners and histories of their persecution will be published on social media within the #LetMyPeopleGo campaign.
French media outlet Mediapart, founded by a former Le Monde editor, Edwy Plenel, has published an article on the case of Mukhtar Ablyazov. Mediapart, famous for its investigative journalism, described how Kazakhstan had influenced the legal proceedings in France.
In line with an agreement made between Putin and Nazarbayev, investigators from the ‘Magnitsky List’ and representatives of Kazakhstan demanded that Paraskevich and Trofimov sign incriminating testimonies against opposition politician, Ablyazov.
On Monday, 25 January 2016, during the year-opening session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg, representatives of the Ukrainian and Russian civil society gathered at an event organized by the Open Dialogue Foundation and the Kyiv Dialogue.
12 Oct 2015 – The French government has decided to extradite Mukhtar Ablyazov, Kazakh dissident and key representative of political opposition to longtime Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, to Russia.
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls signed a decree on September 17, ordering the extradition to Russia of Kazakh dissident Mukhtar Ablyazov.
We wish to draw your attention to the alarming fact of the prosecution of the relative of a Kazakh oppositionist in a case which is overtly characterised by political context.
Kazakhstan is orchestrating the Ukrainian and Russian investigations in the case of an opposition politician and applies illegal lobbying mechanisms in Europe.
The Open Dialog Foundation was invited, as one of the external experts, along with representatives from Fair Trials International, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Centre for Peace Studies and Sherpa Organisation, to take part in the first meeting of the Working Group on the Processing of Information (GTI).
The Open Dialog Foundation was invited, as one of the external experts, along with representatives from Fair Trials International, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Centre for Peace Studies and Sherpa Organisation, to take part in the first meeting of the Working Group on the Processing of Information (GTI).
The French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has responded to a letter from Maddy Delvaux, currently an MEP, formerly a minister in the governments of prime ministers of Luxembourg Jacques Santer and Jean-Claude Juncker.
I am standing up for Ablyazov, asking that the politically motivated criminal case against him be closed and the Ukrainian extradition request against him be withdrawn.
As an expression of our solidarity with human rights organisations who have published reports, members of the European Parliament and the PACE regarding the case of Ablyazov, we hereby present you with an appeal that you deny the requests for the extradition of the Kazakh opposition politician.
Representatives of the Open Dialog Foundation recorded video material with greetings for the Kazakh opposition politician Mukhtar Ablyazov, who is now imprisoned in France due to requests for his extradition, filed by Ukraine and Russia.
Representatives of the Open Dialog Foundation recorded video material with greetings for the Kazakh opposition politician Mukhtar Ablyazov, who is now imprisoned in France due to requests for his extradition, filed by Ukraine and Russia.
1. Introduction The political context of the case of Mukhtar Ablyazov has been repeatedly referred to in the statements of human rights organisations, members of the European Parliament and the PACE. Russia and Ukraine are not safe countries for extradition as these countries do not guarantee the right to a fair trial or adequate conditions […]
Since his arrest on the basis of a ‘red notice’, Mukhtar Ablyazov has already spent nearly two years in different detention facilities in France. Now, as the extradition trials have come to an end, the fate of the famous Kazakh oppositionist will depend on a decision by the French government.
Vira Savchenko, the sister of the Ukrainian Lieutenant Nadyia Savchenko, visited Paris, Brussels and Strasburg, where she met, amongst others, journalists, parliamentarians and representatives of international human rights organisations.
Vira Savchenko, the sister of the Ukrainian Lieutenant Nadyia Savchenko, visited Paris, Brussels and Strasburg, where she met, amongst others, journalists, parliamentarians and representatives of international human rights organisations.
The MEPs Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, Michał Boni (Poland), Pavel Svoboda, Tomas Zdechovsky (Czech Republic) and Tunne Kelam (Estonia) addressed an appeal to France’s highest authorities in defence of Mukhtar Ablyazov.
Below, we list political opponents, their families and colleagues, persecuted by the Kazakh authorities and president Nursultan Nazarbayev through the misuse of the INTERPOL system in the European Union in the years 2012-2015.
Ingancio Sanchez Amor, addressed a letter to the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee at the National Assembly of the French Republic, E. Guigou, requesting that it be delivered to all Committee members. In his letter, he appealed to the French government not to extradite the Mukhtar Ablyazov.
Kazimierz Michał Ujazdowski, addressed an appeal to the Prime Minister of France, Manuel Valls and Ukraine’s Prosecutor General, Victor Shokin concerning the Kazakh dissident Mukhtar Ablyazov.
Despite being in receipt of permission from the Prefecture, the President of the Open Dialog Foundation, Lyudmyla Kozlovska, and the Kazakh oppositionist, Muratbek Ketebayev, were denied the right to submit a letter addressed to the French Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, at Hôtel Matignon.
On 11 March, 2015, Members of the European Parliament from the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (Social Democrats), intervened in the case of Mr Mukhtar Ablyazov, Kazakh dissident and the main political opponent of the current President of Kazakhstan.
Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Pieter Omtzigt, filed a written inquiry with the Committee of Ministers concerning N. Savchenko’s case, in which he asked what action had been taken to bring about the release of the Ukrainian lieutenant.
At the plenary session in Strasbourg on Monday (12.01), the MEP Róża Thun spoke in defence of the Kazakh activist and oppositionist Muratbek Ketebayev, detained on 27th December 2014 in Madrid. In her intervention, Thun appealed to Spanish MEPs whilst relying on the non-refoulement principle protect
At the beginning of December 2014, French MP and the Chair of the Committee on European Affairs in the French National Assembly – Ms Danielle Auroi, as well as Spanish MEP and a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament – Mr Fernando Maura Barandiaran have appealed on the ca
In his letter to President of France, Francois Hollande, Member of the Polish Parliament, Tomasz Makowski, called for “a large measure of self-control in cooperation with the Republic of Kazakhstan until the country steps onto the path of respect for human rights and democratic change”.
In a joint statement signed by the representatives of the Open Dialog Foundation, the Centre for Civic Liberties and Centre for Human Rights Information, the activists called on the President of France to cease his assistance in the campaign against democracy being conducted by Nursultan Nazarbayev.
On Tuesday 2 December, 2014 in Paris, was held a press conference on human rights violations and political repression in Kazakhstan. The event organized by the Open Dialog Foundation and Reporters Without Borders was held in reference to the starting 3-day visit of French President François Hollande
The President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, replied to an e-mail sent by the Open Dialog Foundation concerning Ukrainian pilot, Nadiya Savchenko.
After a court in Lyon gave a green light to France’s extradition of Kazakh political opponent Mukhtar Ablyazov to Russia or Ukraine this evening, on the basis of a one-day hearing for each case, at which the judges refused to hear a single defense witness, Ablyazov’s defense vowed that their client
Criminal prosecution of Mukhtar Ablyazov is being carried out on the political order of the Kazakh authorities. In cooperation with Ukrainian and Russian investigative authorities, Kazakhstan is striving to bring about the extradition of an opponent of the regime.
On 4th October, upon an invitation from human rights organisations such as ACAT France, Amnesty International France, FIDH – International Federation for Human Rights the Russie-Libertés association and Collectif Euromaidan France, representatives of the Open Dialog Foundation took part in a Paris f
A side-event on the politically motivated misuse of INTERPOL took place in Strasbourg, yesterday, during the part-session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Alma Shalabayeva, the wife of the Kazakh dissident, Mukhtar Ablyazov, met with PACE President, Anne Brasseur, and Lyudmyla Kozlovska, President of the Open Dialog Foundation in Strasbourg.
Today, the Court of Appeal in Lyon held the main hearing in the extradition proceedings of Mukhtar Ablyazov, a long-time oppositionist of the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev. Since July 2013, Ablyazov has been remanded in custody.
French Senator Jean-Yves Leconte about Ukrainian activists detained in Russia.
On September 3, the Élysée Palace issued a statement in which it suspended the delivery of the first of two Mistral assault ships ordered by Russia, explaining this decision with the situation in Ukraine.
Coordinator of the Open Dialog Foundation, Anne Souleliac, was interviewed by the public radio station “France Inter” to whom she talked, amongst other things, about the observance of human rights in Kazakhstan.
According to the Open Dialog Foundation, an internet campaign has been launched against Mukhtar Ablyazov, the Kazakh dissident who is the chief opponent of Kazakhstan’s President, Nursultan Nazarbayev.
The French information portal Mediapart published an article on the embargo against agricultural products introduced by the Russian Federation with respect to countries sanctioning the former.
According to the french press, members of the party of German Chancellor Angela Merkel proposed this week that the European Union or NATO could buy two Mistral warships which are designed for Russia.
After the MH17 plane crash, France faced severe criticism from the West.
The Open Dialog Foundation, an organisation which defends human rights and supports democratic processes in post-Soviet countries, hereby expresses its utmost concern over the 2011 contract signed by France for the sale of two Mistral-class amphibious assault ships (BPCs) to the Russian Navy.
The Ukrainian information portal Pravda described the protest of the Open Dialog Foundation and EuroMaidan Warsaw against the sale to Russia of French Mistral landing ships.
President of the Open Dialog Foundation, Lyudmyla Kozlovska spoke about the situation in Ukraine on the French TV channel TV5 Monde.
Human right activists are demanding that the the Office of the Prosecutor-General of Ukraine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Security Service of Ukraine cancel the requests for the extradition of the Kazakh political refugee, Mukhtar Ablyazov from France to Ukraine.
Don’t Extradite Refugee to Country Where he Risks Unfair Trial
French court in Aix-en-Provence has authorized the extradition of the main Kazakh opposition figure, Mukhtar Ablyazov, to Russia and Ukraine
In December, 2013, France will hold a series of court hearings in order to review the extradition case of the Kazakh politician, Mukhtar Ablyazov. International human rights organisations are calling on France not to allow his extradition to Ukraine or Russia
If the political order in Ukraine’s request for the extradition of Mukhtar Ablyazov from France is uncovered, ‘Ablyazov’s case’ may become another obstacle to the signing of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU in November 2013.
On the 19th of June, 2012, in the European Parliament, a hearing on Kazakhstan was held.