| Nurtai Abykayev | |
| Native Name Lang: | kk |
| Office: | 3rd Chairman of the Senate |
| Deputy: | Omirbek Baigeldi Muhammed Kopeev |
| Term Start: | 10 March 2004 |
| Term End: | 11 January 2007 |
| Predecessor: | Oralbay Abdykarimov |
| Successor: | Kassym-Jomart Tokayev |
| Office2: | Head of the Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan |
| Term Start2: | 29 January 2002 |
| Term End2: | 10 March 2004 |
| President2: | Nursultan Nazarbayev |
| Predecessor2: | Sarybai Qalmyrzaev |
| Successor2: | Imangali Tasmagambetov |
| Office3: | Member of the Senate |
| Appointer3: | Nursultan Nazarbayev |
| Term Start3: | 25 December 2015 |
| Term End3: | 13 July 2017 |
| Appointer4: | Nursultan Nazarbayev |
| Term Start4: | 10 March 2004 |
| Term End4: | 11 January 2007 |
| Office5: | Chairman of the National Security Committee |
| Term Start5: | 23 August 2010 |
| Term End5: | 25 December 2015 |
| President5: | Nursultan Nazarbayev |
| Predecessor5: | Adil Shayakhmetov |
| Successor5: | Vladimir Zhumakanov |
| Term Start6: | 1 September 1998 |
| Term End6: | 9 August 1999 |
| Predecessor6: | Alnur Mussayev |
| Successor6: | Alnur Mussayev |
| Office7: | Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Russia |
| Term Start7: | 12 February 2007 |
| Term End7: | 14 October 2008 |
| President7: | Nursultan Nazarbayev |
| Predecessor7: | Zhanseit Tuymenbayev |
| Successor7: | Adilbek Zhaksybekov |
| Office8: | Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Sweden |
| Term Start8: | 2 April 1996 |
| Term End8: | 7 September 1996 |
| President8: | Nursultan Nazarbayev |
| Predecessor8: | Office established |
| Successor8: | Kanat Saudabayev |
| Office9: | Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Norway |
| Term Start9: | 2 April 1996 |
| Term End9: | 7 September 1996 |
| President9: | Nursultan Nazarbayev |
| Predecessor9: | Office established |
| Successor9: | Kanat Saudabayev |
| Office10: | Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Ireland |
| Term Start10: | 2 April 1996 |
| Term End10: | 7 September 1996 |
| President10: | Nursultan Nazarbayev |
| Predecessor10: | Office established |
| Successor10: | Erlan Idrissov (2002) |
| Office11: | Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the United Kingdom |
| Term Start11: | 9 November 1995 |
| Term End11: | 7 September 1996 |
| President11: | Nursultan Nazarbayev |
| Predecessor11: | Office established |
| Successor11: | Kanat Saudabayev |
| Birth Date: | 15 May 1947 |
| Birth Place: | Jambyl, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union |
| Nationality: | Kazakh |
| Party: | QKP (1976–1991) |
| Spouse: | Rimma Abykayeva |
| Children: | Marat, Sergei, Alia |
| Alma Mater: | Ural State Technical University Almaty Higher Party School Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration |
| Allegiance: | (1970-1972) Kazakhstan (1998-present) |
| Rank: | Major general |
| Branch: | Armed Forces of Kazakhstan |
| Serviceyears: | 1998–present |
Nurtai Abykayev (Kazakh: Нұртай Әбіқайұлы Әбіқаев|translit=Nūrtai Äbıqaiūly Äbıqaev; born 15 May 1947) is a Kazakh politician who was the chairman of the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan from August 2010 to December 2015 and from September 1998 to August 1999.[1] [2] [3]
Previously he was Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Russia and before this chair of the Senate of Kazakhstan from 2004 to 2007.[4] [5] He is a long-time friend and assistant to President Nursultan Nazarbayev, and is viewed as the leader of one of the political "clans" that make up Kazakhstan's elite.[6] [7]
Abykayev was born in the village of Jambyl in Almaty Region. He studied at the Ural Polytechnic Institute, graduating in 1970. This was followed by two years in the Soviet Red Army, after which Abykayev worked as an engineer in a heavy-machinery factory in Almaty (then Alma-Ata) until 1976.
Throughout the 1980s, Abykayev worked his way up the hierarchy of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, eventually becoming Nazarbayev's aide. After independence he served throughout the presidential administration until he was named Ambassador to the United Kingdom on 9 November 1995. He returned to Kazakhstan the next year, and later became the head of the National Security Committee.[8] [9]
On 9 August 1999, Abykayev was dismissed from his post as chairman of the National Security Committee for his role in a scandal over the sale of old MiG fighter planes to North Korea by the Kazakhstan Ministry of Defense.[10] Several members of his staff were arrested for their direct involvement in formulating the trade.[11]
Abykayev's absence from government did not last long. By April 2000, he had been appointed deputy foreign minister.[12] He was then named head of the Presidential Administration on 29 January 2002.
Abykayev became chair of the Senate on 10 March 2004 where he was re-elected on 1 December 2005.[13] In a large political shake-up in January 2007, Abykayev was replaced by Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, later being appointed as the Kazakhstan Ambassador to Russia.
On 23 August 2010, he was appointed again as the head of the National Security Committee, replacing Adil Shayakhmetov. Shayakhmetov was removed from his post in the aftermath of the arrest of Prosecutor General's Office official Murat Musabekov, who was fingered as allegedly plotting a coup in an anonymous letter allegedly circulated by NSC officers.[14]
Abykayev also serves as the Secretariat head of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, a meeting of world religious leaders organized by President Nazarbayev in Astana.[15]
There has been speculation that Abykayev was involved in the murder of Altynbek Sarsenbayuly,[16] however several other high-profile politicians, including Nazarbayev, have also been accused of the murder at some point.[17]
Abykayev is married. He has five children (Marat, Sergey, Aliya, Nuray and Amina) and three grandchildren.[9]