Kazakhstan suspends extradition of Russian Yulia Emelyanova
Kazakhstan's Prosecutor General's Office has suspended the extradition of Emelyanova to Russia pending the review of her request for refugee status. This was reported by the human rights organization 'Kovcheg', citing the Russian woman's lawyer. The next court hearing on granting the woman refugee status in Kazakhstan will be held tomorrow, the defender added. Previously, Kazakhstan's Prosecutor General's Office granted Russia's extradition request for Emelyanova, although the process of reviewing her asylum request is still ongoing. In Russia, Emelyanova was a volunteer in Navalny's headquarters. In 2022, a criminal case was initiated against her in St. Petersburg, accusing her of stealing a taxi driver's phone. The 'Anti-War Committee' called this case fabricated. In September 2025, Emelyanova flew to Vietnam with a layover in Kazakhstan and was detained at Almaty airport. Additionally, on February 24, Kazakhstan suspended the extradition to Russia of Chechen Mansur Movlaev, who escaped from one of the secret prisons in the region. He was already denied asylum, but his lawyers filed an appeal against this decision, which is still under consideration.
