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Political Trials

Kyrgyzstan Court Jails Kadyr Atambayev and Temirlan Sultanbekov

A court in Kyrgyzstan has sentenced Kadyr Atambayev, the son of former President Almazbek Atambayev, to four years in prison and opposition Social Democrats leader Temirlan Sultanbekov to seven years over an alleged plot to seize power following last year's parliamentary elections. The defendants denied the allegations, and Sultanbekov described the prosecution as politically motivated shortly before the October 8 verdict. The trial at Bishkek’s Pervomaisky District Court was held behind closed doors despite defense lawyers’ requests for public hearings, preventing independent scrutiny of much of the evidence. Kadyr Atambayev entered politics in 2021, when he was elected to Bishkek's city council as a Social Democrats representative. His father served as Kyrgyzstan's president from 2011 to 2017 but fell into conflict with his successor, Sooronbay Jeenbekov, and subsequently faced several criminal prosecutions. Sultanbekov leads the Social Democrats, a party closely associated with the former president's political circle. He is also a vice president of the Socialist International, an international association of socialist and social democratic parties. He was previously convicted in a separate case involving allegations of vote buying during the November 2024 local elections. His new seven-year prison term takes into account the earlier sentence. The latest case began on November 22, 2025, eight days before Kyrgyzstan's early parliamentary elections. Police detained ten people, including Social Democrats members, former lawmakers, and associates of Almazbek Atambayev. Investigators alleged that the group was preparing to organize unrest after the vote. Atambayev and Sultanbekov were among those charged with preparing a forcible seizure of power. Defense lawyers challenged the prosecution's evidence. Lawyer Asel Argymbaeva questioned a recording used in the case, alleging that it was made before investigators obtained judicial authorization for surveillance and that expert examinations found no calls for violence. The court acquitted former lawmaker Kubanychbek Kadyrov, while some other defendants received lesser penalties or were released from custody. Those convicted have the right to appeal. The verdicts come less than four months before Kyrgyzstan's presidential election on January 27, 2027, in which incumbent President Sadyr Japarov intends to seek a second term. Since Japarov came to power in 2020, Kyrgyzstan has adopted a presidential system that concentrates greater authority in the head of state. The presidential election is taking place amid criminal prosecutions of several prominent political figures and restrictions on rallies in central Bishkek.

Counter-Terrorism

Uzbek-U.S. Citizen Extradited from Georgia on Charges of Supporting ISIS and al-Nusrah Front

Davud Ansariy, an Uzbek citizen who is also a naturalized U.S. citizen, has been extradited from Georgia to New York. U.S. prosecutors accuse him of leading a network that raised money to support ISIS and the al-Nusrah Front and helped aspiring fighters travel to Syria. Ansariy, 41, also known as Kozimjon Gafurov and Kozim, was arrested in Tbilisi in August 2026 and extradited to the United States on September 23. He faces one count of conspiracy to provide material support and one count of providing and attempting to provide material support to ISIS and the al-Nusrah Front, both designated by the United States as foreign terrorist organizations at the time of the alleged conduct. If convicted, he faces up to 35 years in prison. The alleged conduct dates back more than a decade. According to prosecutors, Ansariy led a group based primarily in Brooklyn whose members either planned to travel to Syria to join ISIS or the al-Nusrah Front or helped finance such trips. Participants referred to the group as “chayxona,” an Uzbek word meaning “tea house” or “tea party.” Prosecutors allege that money collected through the network was used to pay for the travel of aspiring fighters to Syria and to support families left behind by those who traveled there, as well as the families of those killed while fighting. According to prosecutors, these collections helped finance the travel of at least three people to Syria in 2013. All three are believed to have been killed there. Investigators also link the network to Akhror Saidakhmetov, who was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport on February 25, 2015, while attempting to board a flight to Istanbul. According to court filings, the “chayxona” collections raised money for Saidakhmetov’s planned journey. He later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Ansariy left the United States for Turkey in May 2016, buying a one-way ticket the day before his departure. He left five days after one of his alleged co-conspirators was arrested on May 11 and did not return to the United States until his extradition this month. A federal grand jury in Brooklyn indicted Ansariy in November 2021. Georgian authorities arrested him after he traveled from Uzbekistan to Tbilisi in August 2026. Ansariy pleaded not guilty on September 24 and was held without bail, the New York Post reported.

Murder Convictions

Uzbek Women Murdered in Istanbul: Two Men Sentenced to Life

Two Uzbek nationals have each been sentenced to life imprisonment in Turkey for murdering two Uzbek women in Istanbul. The investigation began in January after the remains of one woman were discovered and later led authorities to a second victim. The killings sparked protests in Istanbul and Ankara. The Istanbul Anadolu 17th High Criminal Court found Dilshod Turdimurotov, 31, and Gofurjon Kamalkhodjaev, 29, guilty of murdering Durdona Khakimova, 36, and Sayyora Ergashaliyeva, 32. Each man received two aggravated life sentences, Turkey’s most severe form of life imprisonment, which carries stricter prison conditions than an ordinary life sentence, along with two additional seven-year prison terms for theft from a residence after the victims’ deaths. The case drew widespread attention on January 24, when Khakimova’s remains were found in a garbage container in Istanbul’s Şişli district. The two suspects were detained at Istanbul Airport as they attempted to leave Turkey. A second victim was later linked to the case. Sayyora Ergashaliyeva’s family lost contact with her after January 23 and sought assistance from the Association for the Protection of the Rights of Uzbek Women in Turkey. Her relatives traveled to Turkey and filed a complaint with prosecutors on February 6. In February, Uzbekistan’s Consulate General in Istanbul confirmed Ergashaliyeva’s death. Investigators determined that Ergashaliyeva had been at a house in Istanbul’s Ümraniye district. Security camera footage showed her entering the property on January 23, followed by Turdimurotov and Kamalkhodjaev. The next day, the two men were recorded making several trips from the house with black garbage bags before removing a white suitcase. Prosecutors said both women were killed at the house and their remains disposed of in garbage containers in different parts of Istanbul. Khakimova’s remains were recovered, but authorities have not reported finding Ergashaliyeva’s. During the trial, Kamalkhodjaev said he and Ergashaliyeva had been married in a religious ceremony and that he had killed her over what he described as her infidelity. He denied involvement in Khakimova’s killing. Turdimurotov admitted killing Khakimova. In his final statement, he expressed remorse and said he deserved the harshest punishment. Khakimova’s killing prompted protests in Istanbul and Ankara. Women’s rights organizations called for stronger protections against violence, with activists drawing particular attention to the vulnerability of migrant women. On January 30, Khakimova’s remains were repatriated to Uzbekistan, while her two children also returned home. The costs were covered by Uzbekistan’s Consulate General and Migration Agency.

aigul sailybayeva

Murder of Aigul Sailybayeva: Husband Among Key Suspects in Ongoing Investigation

The death of 40-year-old Aigul Sailybayeva became publicly known approximately a year and a half ago. The former judge from Kazakhstan was 24 weeks pregnant at the time of her death. She had been living in Germany with her husband and young daughter and, according to relatives, had reduced contact with family members roughly a year before the incident. According to media reports, on June 4, 2024, Sailybayeva took her daughter to kindergarten and then disappeared. Two weeks later, volunteers discovered a suitcase containing human remains near a lake outside the town of Bensheim in the German state of Hesse. Forensic experts reported multiple stab wounds and chemical burns on the body. Case Timeline Open-source reporting indicates that on June 4, 2024, Sailybayeva dropped her child off at a kindergarten in Bensheim and subsequently stopped responding to messages and calls. Relatives in Kazakhstan reported her missing after failing to reach her. Her husband, Alexander Dontsov, reportedly was unable to clearly account for her whereabouts. On June 16, volunteers found a suitcase containing remains near a lake outside Bensheim. German authorities opened a murder investigation. Forensic findings cited stab wounds and chemical burns. Several media outlets, citing investigative sources, reported that the fatal incident may have occurred on the day of her disappearance. According to these reports, a domestic conflict allegedly took place, after which Dontsov contacted his mother, Natalya Dontsova. It has also been claimed that the couple’s daughter may have been present. These details are based on media leaks and have not been confirmed by a final court ruling. Investigators reportedly documented cleaned blood traces in the residence and seized an object believed to be a possible weapon. Media reports state that fingerprints attributed to the mother-in-law were found on it. Authorities also noted that shortly after the disappearance, Alexander Dontsov left Germany with the child for Russia, and his mother flew to Moscow the following day. By July 2024, German authorities had placed Natalya Dontsova on an international wanted list via Interpol. A criminal case was also opened in Kazakhstan under articles related to torture and violent death. The victim’s parents publicly accused their son-in-law and his mother of involvement in the killing. Through late 2024 and 2025, additional investigative details appeared in the press. Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs sent inquiries to Russia regarding the suspects’ citizenship status. Russian authorities initiated checks following media reports that the Dontsovs might be in Moscow. In February 2026, journalists reported that both individuals were in Moscow. According to these reports, Alexander Dontsov works as a research fellow at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at HSE University. Natalya Dontsova also resides in Moscow and reportedly declined to testify, invoking her constitutional rights. The investigation remains ongoing. Who Was Aigul Sailybayeva Sailybayeva was a Kazakh lawyer and former judge who previously worked in Kazakhstan’s judicial system. She later lived in the United Kingdom, where she met Alexander Dontsov, and in 2020 moved to Germany with her husband and daughter....

extradition

Kazakhstan to Seek Extradition of Boxer Dmitry Bivol’s Ex-Wife

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs plans to pursue the extradition of Ekaterina Bivol, the ex-wife of world boxing champion Dmitry Bivol, according to Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Sanzhar Adilov. Dmitry Bivol, who was born in Kyrgyzstan and moved to Russia at age 11, married Ekaterina Burdinskaya before rising to prominence in professional boxing. The couple divorced while Bivol held the WBA light heavyweight world title. Following the split, Ekaterina repeatedly posted derogatory comments about Bivol and his relatives on social media. Despite the controversies, Bivol became the undisputed world champion in his weight class in February 2025. In the fall of 2025, a video circulated on social media in which Ekaterina Bivol made offensive remarks about Kyrgyz and Kazakh people. In response, Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs launched a preliminary investigation into the distribution of the video material. On October 25, the Pervomaisky District Court in Bishkek issued a preventive detention order and an arrest warrant for Ekaterina Bivol under Article 330 of Kyrgyzstan’s Criminal Code: “Inciting racial, ethnic, national, or interregional discord.” Soon after, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs opened a similar criminal case. The matter is complicated by the fact that Ekaterina Bivol is a citizen of the Russian Federation. However, Adilov stated that Kazakhstan intends to seek her extradition if she is located within Russian territory. “A criminal case has been opened against her, and she has been placed on an international wanted list. The investigation is ongoing. We are in contact with the Russian police through special channels. If she is detained, we will raise the issue of extradition through the Prosecutor General’s Office,” Adilov said in response to journalists’ questions. Earlier this year, The Times of Central Asia reported that in May, Kazakhstan secured the deportation of Talgat Ardan, the former head of the Astana Light Rail Transit (LRT) project, who was wanted internationally for large-scale embezzlement. He was extradited from Turkey, a process made easier by the fact that he held Kazakh citizenship.

Children's Rights

Tajikistan Teacher-Student Assault Case Referred to Court

The case of a teacher accused of assaulting a student, which sparked significant public debate in Tajikistan, has been formally referred to court. The Ministry of Education and Science has stated it will not abandon the teacher and will continue to monitor developments closely. The criminal case involves Farkhod Nazarov, a teacher accused of slapping an 11th-grade student. The case has been transferred to the Levakant City Court. In an interview with Asia-Plus, Nazarov confirmed that he has reviewed the case materials at the prosecutor’s office. “They gave me the case file, and I read it. The sequence of events was laid out clearly, and the staff were professional. They said the case would be sent to court,” Nazarov said. While a court date has not been set, the hearing is expected to take place in November. Nazarov has not yet hired legal representation. Unofficial sources report that the case falls under Article 174 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Tajikistan, “Failure to fulfill obligations to educate and raise a minor.” The article carries penalties ranging from a fine of $5,672 to $8,103 or imprisonment for one to two years. “Yes, I admit that I hit the student, but it was not without reason. I simply do not have the means to pay the fine,” Nazarov previously stated. The family of the student involved, Mehmed Bozorov, has not responded to media inquiries and has yet to comment on the case’s transfer to court. The Ministry of Education and Science has confirmed that Minister Rakhim Saidzoda is personally overseeing the case. The ministry emphasized that while it is not interfering in the judicial process, it will continue to support Nazarov. The incident drew national attention after a video surfaced on social media on September 30, showing Bozorov losing consciousness. According to Bozorov, the incident occurred on September 6 at School No. 4 in the village of Bokhturobod. He claims he was struck on the back of the head by the teacher and subsequently hospitalized for two weeks. The Levakant education department has presented a different account, stating that Bozorov had shown disrespect, provoking an emotional reaction from the teacher. The department also reported that no serious injuries were documented. The case has generated widespread public discourse, with many teachers and public figures voicing support for Nazarov and calling for a systemic review of student-teacher relations in Tajikistan’s schools.