EXPO Case: Talgat Yermegiyayev Denied Parole

A court in Almaty has denied parole to Talgat Yermegiyayev, the former head of the national company EXPO-2017. Yermegiyayev will continue serving his 14-year sentence, Orda.kz reports.

According to the Alatau District Court, officials from the correctional facility where Yermegiyayev is incarcerated noted his discipline and active involvement in community service. He has received eight commendations for exemplary behavior and has partially compensated the state for damages, 935 million tenge.

However, prosecutors argued this was insufficient for early release.

The prosecution maintained that Yermegiyayev had not fully repaid the damages. Based on this, the court rejected his petition for parole. The ruling has not yet come into legal force and may be appealed.

Yermegiyayev has served nine of his 14-year sentence, making him eligible to request parole. Earlier, his son Madi made a public appeal to President Toqayev, claiming his father had been wrongfully convicted. In 2016, Yermegiyayev was found guilty of abuse of power and embezzlement of public funds.

In early June, Yermegiyayev’s lawyers held a press conference in Almaty, stating that there are numerous details in the “EXPO case” that warrant further investigation.

Original Author: Nikita Drobny