DISBELIEF AS GQ AWARDS TONY BLAIR THE "PHILANTROPIST OF THE YEAR" TITLE - Erlier he had been branded A DISGRACE for earning millions from advising the Kazakhstan dictator on a massacre of civilians by his regime

 

Boos and disbelief as Tony Blair is handed 'jaw-dropping' philanthropist of the year title at GQ awards ceremony.

Mr Blair, 61, was honoured for his work establishing charities in Africa

But his reputation has been tarnished by the invasion of Iraq in 2003

PM is worth millions and can command £250,000 for private speeches

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Blair branded 'a disgrace' for giving Kazakh dictator PR advice on massacre of civilians by his regime.

Tony Blair is said to have made millions advising Nursultan Nazarbayev

He offered him advice after police shot 14 unarmed civilian protesters

The move has been labelled as 'shameless' by Human Rights Watch

Mr Blair told the dictator that the deaths ‘tragic though they were, should not obscure the enormous progress’ his country had made.

The former prime minister is said to have earned millions of pounds advising Kazakhstan’s president Nursultan Nazarbayev, who has ruled the former Soviet republic since 1989.

Leaked documents yesterday revealed Mr Blair’s assistance included giving the autocratic ruler detailed advice on how to improve his international image following an incident in which police shot dead 14 unarmed civilians protesting against his rule.

 

There was international condemnation following the massacre in the oil town of Zhanaozen in 2011, in which another 64 protesters were wounded by the security services.

 

A leaked letter now reveals the part Mr Blair played in helping the Kazakh leader rehabilitate himself in the eyes of the international community. Ahead of a speech Mr Nazarbayev was due to give at Cambridge University, Mr Blair offered detailed advice on how to address the massacre.

 

Mr Blair told him that the deaths ‘tragic though they were, should not obscure the enormous progress’ his country had made.

 

He forwarded a passage of about 500 words for Mr Nazarbayev’s speech. His suggestions were accepted with only minor alterations and were included in media reports of the speech.

 

Campaign group Human Rights Watch, which has condemned Kazakhstan’s record, yesterday described Mr Blair as ‘shameless’.

 

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2733463/Blair-branded-disgrace-giving-Kazakh-dictator-PR-advice-massacre-civilians-regime.html

 

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