One year since Nukenova's murder: the whole world follows the investigation into the tragedy

A year ago, the murder of Saltanat Nukenova occurred in Astana. The crime was committed by her husband, former Minister of National Economy Kuandyk Bishimbayev. What sentence did the defendant receive, and why is the whole world watching the investigation of the tragedy?

What did Bishimbayev do with his wife?

On November 9, 2023, Saltanat Nukenova, 31, was found dead in the BAU restaurant in Astana. The investigation showed that her husband Kuandyk Bishimbayev beat her for about eight hours. Her body was found to have severe injuries, such as a crushed nasal bone, which medical examiners determined she could not have supported on her own.

At trial, Bishimbayev argued that the girl “incited the conflict herself” and that he only hit her a few times, and she was injured when she fell. After brutally beating her, he locked her in a booth at a restaurant run by her cousin and tried to cover up the crime. Just a few hours later, an ambulance was called.

During the investigation, the family life circumstances of Bishimbayev and Nukenova became known: constant beatings, attempts to escape from parents, restrictions, pressure and refusal to divorce. It turned out that on the day of the murder, Bishimbayev forced his wife to record an intimate video on her phone as a “guarantee” that there would be no compensation claims from her family in case of divorce. This has become an additional provision in criminal cases.

During the trial, the former Minister of Economic Development of Kazakhstan continuously changed his testimony, arguing with forensic experts, witnesses and the second defendant. He himself asked the jury to make a decision. Lawyers from Russia and Kazakhstan monitoring the trial pointed out that Bishimbayev had requested the participation of the jury to reduce the possibility of a death sentence – life imprisonment.

What decision did the court make against Bishimbayev, what is the deadline?

The jury trial began March 27 and was broadcast online. As a result, on May 13, Kuandyk Bishimbayev was convicted under Art. 99 and art. 110 of the Criminal Code of Kazakhstan – “Murder” and “Torture”.

His cousin Bakytzhan Baizhanov was sentenced to four years in prison. He was charged with concealment and failure to report a crime. He was present in the restaurant during the beating and helped cover up the murder.

Prosecutor Aizhan Aimaganova said Bishimbayev received the sentence at the request of the prosecution.

How the Bishimbayev case affects Kazakhstan, why the whole world is watching the investigation

This case became the first in the history of Kazakhstan's judicial system to be broadcast on YouTube, which is why this tragedy was widely reported in both Kazakhstan and international media. Publications such as Reuters and BBC have actively followed the case. It was thanks to widespread publicity that drew public attention to the problem of domestic violence, which, despite the tragedy of the event, became an important step in the fight for women's rights in Kazakhstan.

After the tragedy and its widespread publicity, the republic passed a law on domestic violence. The new law stipulates penalties of up to life imprisonment.

To gain popularity, Kazakhstan's citizens and natives organized protests in many cities around the world, including Berlin and Sicily. Kazakh authorities are divided over how this incident affects the country's image: Deputy Speaker of the Mazhilis (parliament) Daniya Espaeva said that this has a negative impact on Kazakhstan's image, but the secretary The press of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Aibek Smadiyarov believes that no damage occurred.