Second Uzbek Woman Confirmed Dead in Istanbul Murder Case

A second Uzbek national has been confirmed dead in Istanbul, according to the Consulate General of Uzbekistan in Istanbul. The victim, identified as Sayyora Ergashalieva, born in 1994 in the Namangan region, had previously been reported missing. Turkish law enforcement authorities informed the consulate that Ergashalieva disappeared shortly after the killing of her close friend, Durdona Khakimova, whose dismembered body was discovered in a garbage container in Istanbul in January 2026. Ergashalieva and Khakimova were reportedly close friends. According to Turkish media reports, Ergashalieva’s family in Uzbekistan lost contact with her after January 23 and sought assistance from the Uzbek Women’s Rights Association in Turkey. The association’s president, Azade Islamova, together with lawyers Ezgi Ekin Arslan and Cevat Bozkurt, met with the family and outlined possible legal steps after suspicions emerged that Ergashalieva may have been present at the residence where Khakimova was killed. The family traveled to Turkey and filed a formal complaint with the prosecutor’s office on February 6. Subsequent investigative actions confirmed Ergashalieva’s death. Her parents, who had gone to Turkey hoping to find her alive, were informed of the outcome as the investigation progressed. Preliminary information from Turkish investigators indicates that on January 22, the two women and several suspects met for lunch at a restaurant in Istanbul’s Fatih district. During the meeting, a dispute allegedly arose between Ergashalieva and one of the suspects. Investigators believe the conflict may have been linked to Ergashalieva’s stated intention to return to Uzbekistan. Authorities allege that on January 23, two suspects, identified as Dilshod Turdimurotov and Gofurjon Kamalkhojaev killed Ergashalieva and disposed of her body in garbage containers in the same district. The following day, investigators say, the suspects used her phone to send a message to Khakimova, luring her to a meeting. Khakimova was subsequently killed, and her body was found in Istanbul’s Şişli district. Turkish prosecutors have detained the suspects, who have reportedly confessed. A preventive detention measure has been imposed, and the case materials have been submitted to the court. The investigation remains ongoing. Local media reported that Ergashalieva’s body had been located but had not yet been transferred to the Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institute, according to the Consulate General. Officials have not released further details pending confirmation. Earlier, the killing of Khakimova sparked public protests in Turkey. Groups of women gathered in Istanbul and Ankara, condemning what they described as systemic violence against women, including migrant women. Feminist organizations organized a march in the Şişli district, beginning near the Osmanbey metro station and ending on the street where Khakimova’s body was discovered. Participants carried banners and called for stronger protective measures and prevention mechanisms. The Consulate General of Uzbekistan in Istanbul stated that it is closely monitoring the case and cooperating with Turkish law enforcement authorities. It expressed condolences to the victims’ families and said the public would be informed as additional verified information becomes available.

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....