The trial of a former government minister in Kazakhstan for the brutal murder of his wife has sent shockwaves through the nation and sparked a movement for stricter domestic violence laws.
Kuandyk Bishimbayev, the 44-year-old former economy minister, initially denied any wrongdoing after the body of his wife, 31-year-old Saltanat Nukenova, was found at a restaurant owned by one of his relatives in November. However, in a recent court hearing, surveillance footage emerged showing Bishimbayev subjecting Nukenova to hours of torture, leading to her death.
Bishimbayev has now admitted to the beatings but claims her death was “unintentional.” His lawyers initially challenged medical evidence indicating that Nukenova died from repeated blows to the head, but the security footage from the restaurant does not show her attacking Bishimbayev.
A 2018 study supported by UN Women, the United Nations agency for gender equality, revealed that approximately 400 women in Kazakhstan die annually due to domestic violence, with many instances of abuse going unreported. In 2017, Kazakhstan decriminalized beatings and other acts causing “minor” physical harm, reducing their punishment to fines or brief jail terms.
Nukenova’s death sparked outrage and an online petition calling for the introduction of “Saltanat’s Law,” aimed at strengthening protection for those at risk of domestic violence. The petition quickly garnered over 150,000 signatures, prompting the government to consider legislative changes.
The proposed “Saltanat’s Law” initially faced criticism for not fully addressing gaps in existing laws, but more than 5,000 Kazakh citizens have since written to senators advocating for stricter laws on abuse. The trial of Kuandyk Bishimbayev is ongoing, and the outcome is expected to have significant implications for domestic violence legislation and protections in Kazakhstan.
