The west has limited influence, but is not without leverage. Large sums of Kazakh money are sequestered in London (where “British professional service providers enable post-Soviet elites to launder their money and reputations”, a stinging Chatham House report noted last month). Anti-corruption campaigners have rightly urged that as the rich and well-connected flee, law enforcement agencies, financial institutions and service providers should be watching carefully and reporting, freezing and seizing assets as appropriate. The US, EU and UK should also do their utmost to urge the leadership to respect protesters’ rights.
