Bishimbayev - The Times Of Central Asia

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Domestic Violence

Domestic Abuse Back in Spotlight After Self-Immolation, Hostage Cases in Kazakhstan

Two shocking incidents at Almaty airport this year, one involving self-immolation, the other a hostage-taking, have once again led to discussions about gender issues in Kazakhstan. Two Tragedies at Almaty Airport On August 25, CCTV cameras recorded a man pouring gasoline over himself at an airport ticket counter after a "personal conflict with his common-law wife," before setting himself alight. Police extinguished the fire, but the man remains in critical condition in hospital, according to the Transport Police Department. The airport chief of police stated that "according to preliminary data, the man committed this offense because of domestic relations." Although internet platforms have been rife with speculation about what lies behind the incident, no further information is currently available. Earlier, on March 7, Mashrapbek Baratov assaulted a female security officer at the same airport, dragging her by the hair and threatening her with a knife while claiming to be carrying a bomb. He was disarmed by a bystander, Musa Abdraim, who was later awarded a medal for bravery by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Baratov, who had a history of violence against women, was sentenced to 11 years in prison in July. The Bishimbayev Case and “Saltanat's Law” These cases reflect a wider pattern of violence against women. The most infamous case involved former Minister of National Economy Kuandyk Bishimbayev, who beat his partner, Saltanat Nukenova, to death in November 2023. The trial, broadcast live, shocked the country and drew international attention. Bishimbayev was sentenced to 24 years in prison in May 2024. The case coincided with the introduction of new legislation, the Law on Ensuring Women’s Rights and Child Safety, signed by Tokayev in April 2024. Publicly dubbed “Saltanat's Law,” it toughened penalties for domestic abusers and marked a turning point in public awareness of gender-based violence. High-profile prosecutions continue. On July 18, former diplomat Saken Mamash was sentenced to six years in prison for psychological and physical abuse of his ex-wife. Progress and Persistent Gaps Officials report cautious progress. State Councilor Yerlan Karin announced in June 2025 that domestic violence reports had dropped by 20.5% year-on-year. Serious domestic crimes fell by nearly one-third, and crimes against minors also declined. Overall, the number of crimes against women has halved in five years. Yet experts warn the problem is far from solved. Kazakhstan still lacks trained police officers, shelters, and support services for victims. Civil society groups stress that legal reforms must be accompanied by education campaigns to challenge entrenched attitudes that relegate women to a secondary role within families. Despite women’s growing participation in business and public life, traditional norms often leave them vulnerable. Many abusers justify violence as a way of “correcting” women who fail to meet domestic expectations. High levels of objectification and sexualization further reinforce inequality. A Continuing Struggle While Saltanat's Law has signaled a strong state response, the Almaty airport tragedies reveal the dangers of ignoring early warning signs of violence. Until legal measures are matched with deeper cultural change and expanded support networks, Kazakhstan’s women remain at...

Rule of law

In the Wake of Bishimbayev: From Politicians to Felons – Part One

Eight days ago, a scandal shook Kazakhstani society: Kuandyk Bishimbayev allegedly escaped from the penal colony where he was serving his sentence. Bishimbayev is a former high-ranking official of the government of Nursultan Nazarbayev's era, who was sentenced to 24 years in prison for the brutal murder of his wife. The Interior Ministry's Criminal Correctional System Committee immediately denied this information and said that a criminal case had been opened over the dissemination of this misinformation. This is not the first time Bishimbayev has become a resident of a penal colony. In 2017, as the Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan, he was arrested on suspicion of large-scale bribery and embezzlement. In 2018, he was sentenced to a ten-year term with the confiscation of property and deprivation of the right to hold public office for the rest of his life. However, he was released on parole in 2019. Kazakhstan has been shaken by Bishimbayev's new crime. The trial, which was broadcast live online for the first time in the country's history, was watched by millions of citizens, not only within the Republic, but also abroad in other post-Soviet countries, and even in the West. However, this is not the first and, in all likelihood, not the last sensational case in which a former high-ranking official becomes a defendant. The long list of convicted ministers and akims can be divided chronologically into three parts: the Nazarbayev era, the transition period, and the so-called “New Kazakhstan,” which started after the January Events - the failed coup in 2022. This article discusses the most notorious court cases from each of these periods. Akezhan Kazhegeldin Former Prime Minister Akezhan Kazhegeldin was a politician known not only in Kazakhstan, but also in the West. He led the Government of Kazakhstan from 1994 to 1997. After falling into disfavor, in 1998 he attempted to challenge Nazarbayev in the upcoming presidential election. Kazhegeldin was not allowed to participate and had to leave Kazakhstan under the pretense of receiving medical treatment in Switzerland for unspecified health problems. In 1999, Kazhegeldin was put on an international wanted list, and in 2001 he was found guilty in absentia by the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan of abuse of power and authority, extortion and repeated bribes of millions of dollars, illegal acquisitions, the storage and transfer of weapons and ammunition, and tax evasion. Kazhegeldin was sentenced to ten years in prison, but has not returned to the country since. He continued to influence Kazakhstan's domestic politics from abroad until 2001 through the Republican People's Party of Kazakhstan, which he organized for this purpose. It was alleged that Kazhegeldin received kickbacks from a contract awarded to Tractebel in 1996 to run Almaty's electric company and power grid. A year later, the Belgian company also won a concession to manage gas pipelines in the south and west of Kazakhstan. In the U.S., meanwhile, the DOJ investigated claims Kazhegeldin received illegal payments of $6 million as part of a bribery scandal known as ‘Kazakhgate’. This...

Saltanat Nukenova

As Bishimbayev Case Continues, Kazakhstan Toughens Domestic Violence Laws

While a court in Astana tries former economy minister Kuandyk Bishimbayev for murdering his wife Saltanat Nukenova, the Kazakhstani Senate has passed a law strengthening protections for women and children against domestic violence. The new law, if properly implemented, can hand out much harsher punishments to those who abuse those closest to them. In particular, a term of life imprisonment has been introduced for the murder of a minor child. In the Face of Widespread Indifference The trial of Bishimbayev – and his relative Bakhytzhan Baizhanov, who is accused of failing to report the murder - has uncovered an uncomfortable truth. Many people already knew that Bishimbayev beat his wife, who died last November. Relatives and close acquaintances of the victim recounted details in court about bruises on Nukenova's face. On the day of her death, a number of witnesses saw Bishimbayev arguing with, and possibly beating, Nukenova. Many of these witnesses are employees of the restaurant where the alleged murder took place. Baizhanov admitted under interrogation that he saw blood as Nukenova was laying motionless, but, on the orders of Bishimbayev, had the restaurant's surveillance tapes deleted, and then drove Nukenova's phone around the city, so that it would seem later that she was still alive at the time. According to Baizhanov, he "did not know and did not realize" that Nukenova was dying. However, a forensics expert testified in court that the nature of Nukenova's injuries indicated serious beatings, not "light slaps and falls," as Bishimbayev had previously claimed. Examinations confirmed that Nukenova died of multiple brain injuries and a lack of oxygen, likely as a result of asphyxiation. Will the New Law Help Stop Violence? Kazakhstanis are closely following the legal proceedings that have resulted from Nukenova's death, and are organizing viral online actions and rallies in her memory in cities across Europe. Human rights activists and ordinary Kazakhstanis fought long and hard for domestic violence to be criminalized. Under the new law, criminal liability will be applied to any intentional infliction of harm to health, however minor. The Code "On marriage (matrimony) and family" establishes the legal status of family support centers and the functions they perform, and establishes helplines for information and psychological assistance relating to women's and children's rights. The law also contains many measures aimed at protecting children in public and online. Activists are still cautious about the new law, and argue that much will depend on its practical application and the amount of funds allocated to it. Support centers for victims of violence receive many calls per day, and physically cannot provide assistance to all those in need. Central Asia's Changing Attitudes to Domestic Violence The other countries in Central Asia face a similar, and perhaps more difficult, situation. Uzbekistan, for example, adopted a law last year to give women and children more protection against domestic violence. Domestic violence in Uzbekistan is subject to administrative and criminal liability, and harassment has been made a crime. The sentences for sexual...