Britain’s Prince Harry has come under fire over a helicopter flight in Kazakhstan.
Human rights activists have expressed concern about the 29-year-old royal’s use of a government chopper to fly to the exclusive Shymbulak ski resort, which is owned by wealthy entrepreneur Serzhan Zhumashov, who has close ties with Kazakhstan’s oppressive president Nursultan Nazarbayev.
Allan Hogarth of Amnesty International UK told the Daily Express newspaper: "There’s no law against Harry going skiing in Kazakhstan, but he might want to spare a thought for the people who aren’t going to be sharing the slopes with him.
"Kazakhstan is a repressive country where torture is rife and political opposition is crushed."
Kensington Palace declined to comment on whether Harry – who went on a skiing trip with his girlfriend Cressida Bonas – had asked for approval from the Foreign Office before going on holiday, but a representative insisted the couple paid for the trip themselves and weren’t guests of the Kazakh government.
The spokesperson said: "Prince Harry was a on a private skiing trip. It was exactly that, no more, no less."
Prince Harry under fire over Kazakhstan flight
