Biography of Rachat Älijew

Rakhat Aliyev (born 10 December 1962 in Alma-Ata; died 24 February 2015 in Vienna), also rendered in German as Rachat Älijew, was a Kazakh politician, diplomat and businessman. He was married to Dariga Nazarbayeva, daughter of Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev, and for years belonged to the circle around Kazakhstan's political leadership.

Posts in Kazakhstan

Aliyev studied medicine but moved into business, the security apparatus and politics. He headed the tax police in Almaty for a time, held posts in Kazakhstan's security service and later served as deputy foreign minister. In the 2000s he also represented Kazakhstan as ambassador in Austria and at international organizations in Vienna. His position rested on state offices, business interests and his connection to the presidential family.

Break with Nazarbayev

In 2007 Aliyev openly broke with Nursultan Nazarbayev. Kazakh authorities accused him of kidnapping, extortion and later involvement in the killing of two Nurbank managers. Aliyev denied the accusations and described them as politically motivated. Austria refused to extradite him to Kazakhstan because a fair trial there was not considered secure. In Kazakhstan he was convicted in absentia; Austrian proceedings were separate from that.

Proceedings in Austria

After several years outside Kazakhstan, Aliyev surrendered to Austrian authorities in 2014. In Vienna he was due to face proceedings connected with the deaths of two bank managers. The charge was severe, but Aliyev died before an Austrian judgment. That proceeding therefore ended without a verdict against him.

Death in Vienna

On 24 February 2015 Aliyev was found dead in a single cell at Vienna's Josefstadt prison. Austrian officials described the death as suicide. His lawyers, and later representatives of the family, disputed that account and called for further investigation. In 2017 Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported a new assessment by Vienna prosecutors that there was no forensic evidence of outside involvement. The circumstances of his death therefore remained part of public debate.

Context

Rakhat Aliyev's life ran through the political and economic power structures of Kazakhstan after the collapse of the Soviet Union. He was an insider, diplomat, businessman, opponent of his former father-in-law and a defendant in a case that placed Austria before questions of human rights and rule of law. His name remains connected with offices, accusations and unresolved questions.