View source for Nurbank murder case

{{main article|Rakhat Aliyev}}

'''The Nurbank bank''', founded in Atyrau regional governor's office was taken over by [[Rakhat Aliyev]] in January 2007. Shortly after, two Nurbank managers, Zholdas Timraliyev and Aybar Khasenov, were kidnapped, tortured and eventually killed by Aliyev. In May 2007, the criminal proceedings against Aliyev in Almaty began and [[Kazakhstan]] sentenced him for forty years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interfax.kz/?lang=eng&int_id=expert_opinions&news_id=464 |title=Rakhat Aliyev may be sentenced to life imprisonment in Austria - newspaper |website=Interfax.kz |date= |accessdate=2015-12-07}}</ref>

==History==
In 1992, the Nurbank bank opened for business and became the seventh largest bank in [[Kazakhstan]]. "According to its Website, it is owned by the largest oil, food, publishing and foreign trade firms operating in Kazakhstan, and also currently lends to oil, food, foreign trade, and publishing & information firms."<ref name=widens>{{cite web|author=|url=http://foreignpolicyblogs.com/2007/05/24/kazakhstan-nurbank-scandal-widens/ |title=Kazakhstan: Nurbank scandal widens |publisher=Foreign Policy Blogs |date= |accessdate=2015-12-07}}</ref>

In January 2007, Rakhat Aliyev became the main owner and acquired about 75% of all Nurbank’s assets. His father owned 6.71% and his 22-year-old son Nurali Aliyev was a sitting board member.<ref name=widens/>

==First kidnapping==
Around January 18, 2007, Zholdas Timraliyev (vice president) and Abilmazhen Gilimov (chairmen of Nurbank) entered into a car and were threatened by Rakhat Aliyev, according to Abilmazhen Gilimov.  Rakhat was looking to acquire possession of a prized financial building in Kazakhstan's commercial capital, Almaty by ensuring ownership passed to him. They escaped after 24 hours. During his kidnapping, Timraliyev was able to phone his wife and tell of his abduction. Timraliyev's wife (Armangul Kapasheva/Armangul Qapasheva) reported him missing. They escaped after being held for 24 hours.<ref name=widens/> They both left their positions at Nurbank on January 19.<ref name=widens/>

According to newspapers, the building Aliyev wanted them to sell, sold on January 22 for a very low price,  four days after the alleged first kidnapping.<ref name="rferl.org">{{cite web|last=Pannier |first=Bruce |url=http://www.rferl.org/content/article/1074875.html |title=Kazakhstan: Nazarbaev's Son-In-Law Sent To Austria Amid More Accusations |website=Rferl.org |date= |accessdate=2015-12-07}}</ref>

==Second kidnapping==
On January 31, Timraliyev disappeared again after receiving summons to speak with the tax police. Him and  chairman of the board, Aibar Khasenov were reported missing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_06_06/Kazakh-presidents-former-son-in-law-arrested-in-Vienna-7204/ |title=Kazakh president's former son-in-law arrested in Vienna|publisher=The Voice of Russia |date= |accessdate=2015-12-07}}</ref> After a days of violent acts, both of the bodies were tucked into a metal drum, assailed with chalk and buried on a waste dump.<ref name=tagdyr>{{cite web|url=http://en.tagdyr.net/the-nurbank-murder-case |accessdate=July 3, 2014 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519112016/http://en.tagdyr.net/the-nurbank-murder-case/ |archivedate=May 19, 2014 }}</ref>

During his kidnapping, Timraliyev was able to phone his wife (Armangul Kapasheva) and tell of his abduction. She reported them missing and her strong public appearance about the disappearance of her husband and mounting pressure against Alivey, the Kazakh authorities finally initiated criminal proceedings on May 10, 2007.<ref name=tagdyr/> The wives of the two missing Nurbank managers establish the TAGDYR association in order to find their husbands.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/asianet/130411/rakhat-aliyev-malta-lives-fear-he-will-be-kidnapped |title=Rakhat Aliyev in Malta lives in fear that he will be kidnapped |publisher=Global Post |date=2013-04-11 |accessdate=2015-12-07}}</ref>

==Lawsuits==
:''See Also [[Tagdyr]]''
As a result, Aliyev brought forth a lawsuit against the two wives, for “insulting his honor and dignity.”<ref name="rferl.org"/>

Timraliyev’s wife was interviewed and several news outlets including,Svoboda Slova," "Tasjargan," "Vremya," and zonakz.net published her comments and now faced legal suit from Aliyev.<ref name="rferl.org"/>

==Criminal prosecution==
Aliyev was quickly appointed the new Kazak ambassador to Austria on February 9, 2007 as a polite way to get him out of the country. While in Austria, Aliyev announced his candidacy for the upcoming Kazakhstan elections and criticized the sitting Kazak President, [[Nursultan Nazarbayev]]. A full domestic Kazak investigation began in May 2007 into Aliyev’s activities. His diplomatic passport was cancelled, as was his diplomatic immunity. Kazakhstan filed its first extradition request at this time. The domestic Kazak investigation concluded January 2008 and Kazak courts sentenced Aliyev to 20 years of imprisonment ''in absentia''.  His crimes were kidnapping, treason and plotting a coup d'état against his father-in-law  Nursultan Nazarbayev.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://roberts-report.blogspot.com/2007_02_01_archive.html |title=The Roberts Report on Central Asia and Kazakhstan: February 2007 |website=Roberts-report.blogspot.com |date= |accessdate=2015-12-07}}</ref>

Their second request for extradition in 2011 was also rejected, as Austria feared Kazak political persecution of Aliyev. They did however open their own investigation into Aliyev's dealings.

January 2013, Ailyev claimed Kazakhstan was politically persecuting him because he rejected the political system. Viennese supreme court excluded political underpinnings as a reason for persecution, which helped to greatly legitimize legal action brought against him.<ref>{{cite web|author=Пишет: Steven Откуда: Simon |url=http://www.caucasustimes.com/article.asp?id=21159 |title=Caucasus Times |publisher=Caucasus Times |date=2013-07-21 |accessdate=2015-12-07}}</ref>

==Other crimes==
[[Rakhat Aliyev]] (Shoraz) is also suspected of the murder of opposition leader and former Kazak ambassador to Russia Mr Sarsenbayev in early 2006, a complex embezzlement scheme stretching from Germany to Malta and Navis, torturing two Kazak bodyguards in 2001, and the death of his girlfriend [[Anastasiya Novikova]] in 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.austriantimes.at/news/General_News/2014-06-06/51200/Former_Kazakh_diplomat_Rakhat_Aliyev_arrested_in_Vienna_ |accessdate=July 3, 2014 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140610020907/http://austriantimes.at/news/General_News/2014-06-06/51200/Former_Kazakh_diplomat_Rakhat_Aliyev_arrested_in_Vienna_ |archivedate=June 10, 2014 }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*[http://www.justicefornovikova.com/ JusticeForNovikova.com]
*[http://rakhataliyev.com/ RakhatAliyev.com]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUWJk3BTvcE Anastasiya Novikova's Story] 
*[http://en.tagdyr.net/ en.tagdyr.net/]

[[Category:Kidnappings in Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Murder in Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of Kazakhstan to Austria]]
[[Category:Kazakhstani diplomats]]
[[Category:Kazakhstani criminals]]
[[Category:Government ministers of Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Kazakhstani expatriates in Austria]]
[[Category:Torture]]
[[Category:Extortion]]
[[Category:2007 crimes in Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Murder in 2007]]