Aliev Urges Election Ban For Kazakh Presidential Party

Aliev, who is wanted on criminal charges, claims the ruling party has misused funds (file photo) (ITAR-TASS) August 17, 2007 (RFE/RL) -- Rakhat Aliev, the former son-in-law of the Kazakh president, has called on the country's prosecutor-general and international observers not to allow the ruling Nur Otan party to run in August 18 parliamentary elections, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reported.

In an open letter to Kazakh Prosecutor-General Rashid Tusupbekov and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) observer mission in Kazakhstan, Aliev urged them to disallow the president's party from competing in the elections because of its allegedly illegal use of funds.

Aliev claimed the Nur Otan party -- led by President Nursultan Nazarbaev -- has illegally spent $100 million from a "secret fund" for its election campaign.

Aliev wrote that he is ready to go to any court to prove his claims.

Aliev, Kazakhstan's former ambassador in Vienna, is wanted by the Kazakh authorities for his alleged involvement in the kidnapping and disappearance of two bank officials.

An Austrian court has rejected Astana's demand to extradite Aliev, warning that he would not be guaranteed a fair trial in Kazakhstan.