The Nazarbayev Regime will fall

Mr Ablyazov, you are the leader of the movement democratic choice of Kazakhstan. How do you assess the recent resignation of Nursultan Nazarbayev as President of Kazakhstan?
For the country as a whole, this is a key moment that is associated with big hopes, even though Nazarbayev has kept a lot of Power. According to the Constitution, he is regarded as the "leader of the Nation". In addition, Nazarbayev is the President of the national security Council and thereby exerts control on the government. His resignation as President means, nevertheless, a marked weakening of the authoritarian regime. It takes a little bit to a dictatorial System loses its balance. We are at a turning point in the modern history of Kazakhstan.

What's wrong are you as optimistic? In Kazakhstan, the Opposition has been switched off with the repressive methods to a large extent. People of the Nazarbayev clan to occupy all the important positions of power.
The population has had enough of this dictatorship. For 30 years, the Nazarbayev clan does nothing but to enrich themselves. Nazarbayev owns and controls a fortune estimated at $ 200 billion. As the head of state Nazarbayev is away: This is Crucial for the population. And that is what the people now hope for a change: democracy and a better life in Kazakhstan. The Moment arrives where people are no longer afraid of the Regime. The growing democratic forces, that the Regime at the same time makes mistakes.

For example?
Kazakhstan's capital Astana has been renamed to Nazarbayev's resignation immediately Nursultan – without consulting the population. That Astana is now named after the first name of the Ex-President, angered many Kazakhs. You scoff at the capital's new name. You Express also criticism of the Regime, while not risking therefore an arrest. You feel freer to talk about political issues and go to the streets to demonstrate. This is new. In addition, the Regime commits more serious errors.

What are you playing at?
Nazarbayev has left a power vacuum is a threat for his Clan. There is sense of uncertainty. The interim successor as state President, Kassym Tokaev, is a Nobody. The more time passes, the more likely internal power struggles. In order to prevent Chaos, to the for April 2020 planned presidential elections on the next 9. June will be preferred. And Nazarbayev will try to bring his daughter Dariga to the state. Your appointment to the Senate President was the first step. She is very unpopular in the population. People don't want a family dynasty of Nazarbayev's. A choice of Dariga would strengthen the opposition.

your movement is banned in Kazakhstan. How do you want to support from France, from the resistance to the Nazarbayev Regime?
by the end of 2016, I launched a political Offensive in the social media. Hundreds of thousands of people participate in our Chats on Telegram. On Youtube my most recent Videos have reached more than a Million people. This is remarkable in a country with 18 million inhabitants.

Kazakhstan's authorities to respond with controls of the Internet.
Yes. They turn off the Internet, if our live video broadcast. However, it is counterproductive for the Regime. On the one hand, you cripple large parts of the country, causing discontent in the population continues to grow. On the other hand, arouses the curiosity of the people. You think that I say interesting things, if I'm censored. And look at the Videos when the Internet is working again. We dominate the social media in Kazakhstan. The decisive factor is the pressure of the people on the streets.

so you want to bring via social media in Kazakhstan mass demonstrations against the Nazarbayev Regime. How should this be done?
In all cities and regions of Kazakhstan, we have allies, to be organize on-site demonstrations. I guess that 90 percent of the population want the dictatorship. It is not necessary that all of these people go on the streets. It is sufficient if three to five percent of the population demonstrate. That would be tens of thousands of demonstrators in the cities. First demonstrations have already been held in February and March. It can be temporary were arrested. The police, however, went against the protesters less hard than in the past. A sign that something is changing.

The Regime will respond with repression, and if it sees its Power threatened. Imagine the coup?
In Armenia, Georgia and the Ukraine succeeded the population, with mass demonstrations for regime change. In Kazakhstan, the will happen also. The Regime will fall like a house of cards. The Nazarbayev Regime could fall before the end of the year.

"If you have experienced prison and torture, has a different view on things."

you will stay in Europe, because they are followed by Kazakhstan. So you need to from here, watching what is happening in your home.
no. I plan to return to Kazakhstan. In due time, I enter illegally in the country. I prepare very thoroughly. The Regime will be no stopping me. The task of our movement is to encourage the Kazakhs to go to the streets. You should demand the introduction of democracy, as well as the end of the corruption. I am on a daily basis with messages and Calls to the people of Kazakhstan.

What would you do if you were actually to Power?
My proposal is a transitional government under my leadership for six months. This time it takes to establish new parties and free elections. Kazakhstan is in need of a democratically-elected government and not the Almighty President of the Republic. I suggest the abolition of the Chairmanship, because it is a Symbol of the Nazarbayev dictatorship. After the transition period, the winner of the parliamentary elections to govern the country.

Russia maintains a good relationship with the Nazarbayev Regime. It has an increased interest in the political processes in former Soviet republics such as Kazakhstan. What is the role of Russia in your Considerations?
There have been contacts. The Russians wanted to buy me. You have helped me to come to Kazakhstan to Power, if I had it my duty to remain Loyal to the Putin Regime. I rejected this. In Kazakhstan, a parliamentary democracy needs to be installed according to the Western model. Kazakhstan will be politically independent from the big neighbor, be it Russia or China.

you Can hope for support from the West?
In March, the United States published a report, in the Assault of the Kazakh authorities against our movement and its supporters are well documented. Also in may, the European Parliament published a Resolution on the human rights situation in Kazakhstan. It recognizes the "democratic choice of Kazakhstan" as a peaceful political movement. In addition, the Europe called on the Parliament of Kazakhstan, all political prisoners must be immediately released.

In Kazakhstan, you would be in prison. You are supposed to have stolen, as the head of the Kazakh Bank BTA to six billion dollars. How is your credibility as a leader of the opposition?
The Nazarbayev Regime invented offences to be able to keep track of. It wanted to Silence me. But this is not managed. Nazarbayev brought Russia to make a request for Extradition to France. I spent three years in a French detention pending extradition. By the end of 2016, the Supreme court annulled France's extradition decision of the Valls government, because the Russian request for Extradition had been motivated under Kazakh participation is purely political. Before I moved to France, I had to get in the UK for political asylum. In Kazakhstan, the people know my history very well. They can form their own judgment.

Once you belong to the political Elite to Nazarbayev. How it came to strife?
the mid-90s, I became one of the most influential businessmen of Kazakhstan. In 1998, Nazarbayev offered me a government post. During one and a half years I was Minister for energy, industry and trade. I stepped back, because I was with the policy of Nazarbayev does not agree. In 2001, I founded an opposition movement, which criticized the government openly. I came to prison where I was tortured. After my release, I financed the Opposition. In 2009, my company were seized. I had to leave Kazakhstan. Since then, the Regime has pursued me and my family all over the world.

The means?
Kazakh agents attempted to eliminate me. 2013, you abducted my wife and my youngest daughter.

you are afraid to be killed?
I am always on the alert. I always have to take safety precautions. Fear of the Regime, I don't have it. If you have experienced prison and torture, has a different view on things. Nothing will stop me.

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 16.04.2019, 21:08 PM