Petition launched in Kazakhstan to deprive Nazarbayev of immunity

A petition has been launched in Kazakhstan, demanding to deprive ex-president Nursultan Nazarbayev of immunity.

Report informs citing Kazakh media that the petition has been posted on the egov.press website.

On Tuesday, Nazarbayev made his first public appearance in early 2022, when mass riots broke out in the country on January 2. Nazarbayev's video message was posted on the YouTube channel of his press service. The long absence of the ex-president triggered a lot of rumors, including about the illness of the 81-year-old leader of the nation, about his possible departure, and a conflict with the current President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

"According to the law of the Republic of Kazakhstan `On the first president’, adopted back in 2000, the first president and his family are guaranteed complete immunity... The first president cannot be detained, arrested, searched, summoned for interrogation and taken into custody... All property belonging to Nazarbayev and his family members living with him is inviolable. Elbasy is guaranteed the inviolability of bank accounts... Nazarbayev and his family are under lifelong protection, the life and health of Elbasy are subject to compulsory state insurance... He receives a pension (80% of the monthly salary of the president). Each member of the Nazarbayev family, who live with him, is assigned a monthly allowance," the petition says.