The process has been halted to consider the activist's request for refugee status. The next hearing in the Emelyanova case is scheduled for February 27.
Yulia Emelyanova, who worked at the St. Petersburg headquarters of opposition politician Alexei Navalny, became the target of criminal prosecution in Russia in 2021 on charges of theft. The investigation claimed that she allegedly stole a phone from a taxi driver in St. Petersburg, but the activist herself asserted that the case was fabricated. By the time the case reached court, Emelyanova had left Russia.
On August 31 of last year, she was detained at Almaty airport while transiting from Georgia to Vietnam. Her detention was based on an international wanted notice issued by Russia. On February 11, it became known that Kazakhstan planned to extradite her to the Russian Federation. Emelyanova is currently in a pre-trial detention center in Almaty.
Recently, the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan also suspended the extradition of Chechen activist Mansur Movlaev, keeping him in custody for another month while his application for refugee status is considered.
