Bishimbayev unable to appeal to European Court

Kuandyk Bishimbayev and his representatives cannot submit an application to the European Court of Human Rights because Kazakhstan is not a State Party to the organisation, Kazinform reports.

A Kazinform correspondent in the UK contacted the European Convention on Human Rights’ press unit, which confirmed that Kazakhstan's non-membership means Bishimbayev and his legal team are ineligible to approach the Court.

This clarification follows the high-profile trial of Kazakhstan’s former economy minister, Kuandyk Bishimbayev. On May 13, a Kazakh court found Bishimbayev guilty of the torture and murder of his partner Saltanat Nukenova, sentencing him to 24 years in a maximum-security prison.

On June 26, a court in Astana rejected Bishimbayev's appeal, prompting his advocates to announce their intention to seek justice through international human rights organisations. However, the ECHR press unit confirmed that they will not consider the case.