- Kazakhstan’s Supreme Court has convicted former government official Quandyk Bysinbayev of torturing and killing his wife.
- Mr. Visinbayev was sentenced to 24 years in prison on Monday.
- The incident sparked widespread public outcry and led to calls for tougher penalties for domestic violence.
Kazakhstan’s Supreme Court on Monday convicted a former government official of torturing and killing his wife and sentenced him to 24 years in prison in the case involving the Central Asian country.
Thousands of people have called on authorities to introduce tougher penalties for domestic violence during the trial over the death of Saltanat Nukenova, the wife of Kazakhstan’s former economy minister Quandyk Bysinbayev. Authorities adopted legislation to strengthen laws regarding spousal abuse.
Kazakhstan remains a largely patriarchal society, and progress on issues such as domestic violence, sexual harassment, and employment inequality has been slow.
Domestic violence rates remain high three years after record surge during pandemic
Vysinbayev’s trial was streamed online for the first time in the country of more than 19 million people, and discussion about it dominated social media.
Kazakhstan’s former economy minister Quandyk Bysinbayev speaks at a court hearing in Astana, Kazakhstan, on May 6, 2024. Kazakhstan’s Supreme Court on Monday convicted Mr. Bysinbayev of torturing and brutally killing his wife and sentenced him to 24 years in prison, concluding a high-profile trial. A trial involving a Central Asian country. (AP Photo/Alimjan Barangulov, File)
Nukenova, 31, was found dead in November at a restaurant owned by one of her husband’s relatives. Ms Bysinbayev, 44, maintained her innocence but admitted in her court last month that he had beaten her and caused her “unintentional” death. His lawyers initially disputed medical evidence showing Mr Nukenova died from a blow to her head.
Bakitsukhan Baidzhanov, a relative of Bishimbayev, was sentenced to four years in prison for helping Bishimbayev cover up the murder.
Days after Nkenova’s death, her relatives launched an online petition calling on authorities to pass the Saltanat Law, which would strengthen protections for people at risk of domestic violence. It quickly gathered over 150,000 signatures. According to Kazakh media, as the trial began, more than 5,000 Kazakhs sent a letter to senators calling for stronger laws on abuse.
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Kazakh President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev has repeatedly spoken out about strengthening protections for women. It intervened in January after the Ministry of Justice refused to consider a petition by Nukenova’s family.
According to a 2018 study supported by UN Women, approximately 400 women die each year from domestic violence in Kazakhstan, but many cases go unreported.
In 2017, Kazakhstan decriminalized beatings and other acts that cause “minor” bodily harm, making them punishable only by fines or short prison terms. Kazakhstan has since repealed the law, increasing penalties for perpetrators and introducing new criminal offenses, including harassment of minors.
Senate President Mauren Asinbayev said the proper implementation of the new law adopted following the trial will require “huge efforts”, including educational campaigns in schools and the media, and the vigilance of civil society organizations.
