The story of the murder of the ex-minister Kuandyk Bishimbayev’s wife has shocked the entire country. It is noteworthy that such tragedies happen regularly in Kazakhstan, but they only attract attention when well-known personalities—officials or celebrities—are directly involved.

Some women are afraid to speak openly about it, while for others, domestic violence has become a commonplace occurrence. However, recently, there has been an increase in the number of Kazakh women who refuse to remain silent, striving to defend their rights.

A petition has recently emerged calling for an end to domestic violence in Kazakhstan. It has already been signed by over 100,000 people! What’s strange about this is that individuals who support the petition or openly speak about violence are sometimes labeled as «agitators» or «negative elements» in society. Why?!

According to UN data for the year 2019, about 400 women become victims of violence annually in Kazakhstan. Previously, most people paid little attention to this statistic. However, in the last week, society has begun to question where these numbers come from, triggered by the Bishimbayev case, who was accused of murdering his wife, Saltanat Nukenova.

NEGE journalist turned to experts to find out what exactly caused the increase in domestic violence.

Having money, one is confident that they will not be punished.
«This is a serious and longstanding problem. Some claim that ‘violence against women has been going on for many years, and it leads to nothing.’ At the same time, others blame women in any family conflicts: ‘Why does she stay with him? Why not get divorced and start a new life with someone else?’ The main problem is the escalation of violence. As a result, a husband may kill his wife, and sometimes vice versa. Sometimes a poor woman resorts to this to protect herself from male cruelty,» says lawyer Aiman Omarova.

Despite numerous appeals to local law enforcement agencies, which should react, the situation is often dismissed as «family problems.»

«The tragic consequences are the result of such an approach. Numerous complaints and appeals often go unanswered by law enforcement agencies. Internal law enforcement agencies sometimes commit violence and torture themselves. Meaningful reforms in the Ministry of Internal Affairs system have not yet taken place.

The Bishimbayev case has also divided society. There is a suspicion that he had previously abused his wife. It’s hard to believe that a person is capable of murder. Even well-known personalities, former officials, can commit such actions. People with money sometimes are confident that they won’t face punishment; they believe in their power and influence. Sometimes the police and the prosecutor’s office close such cases. However, should the woman be blamed in this case?» she shared.

Deputies Marat Bashimov and Amantay Zharqynbek also spoke out about the issue. However, Bashimov’s statements, suggesting that women themselves provoke violence and laws are solely aimed at protecting their rights, have caused dissatisfaction among the public and the international human rights organization Human Rights Watch.

To assess human life, another 100 years are needed.
«The statistics on cases of domestic violence declared by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Prosecutor General’s Office do not reflect the full picture. Even if a woman dies at the hands of her husband, it may be registered as another cause. The tendency to downplay the facts is confirmed by the lack of transparency in the Ministry of Internal Affairs reports. Since 2017, the number of crimes related to family violence has quadrupled.

Currently, society is actively discussing this issue on social media. Previously, we received an average of 30 calls a day, but now the number has increased to 70-80. Of these, 75 percent are women who have become victims of violence from their husbands. Contrary to the current legislation, the police do not always respond to such cases. Even when a man and a woman reconcile, many victims turn to us for help.

Deputy Marat Bashimov, speaking in the Majilis, raised the question, ‘How can a woman bring her husband to criminal responsibility?’ However, his statements raise questions. Why doesn’t he ask, ‘Why do men kill their wives, the mothers of their children?’ This deputy is responsible for the interdepartmental commission developing laws. Why do they not study statistics and analyze the experience of developed countries? Such superficial approaches in the commission are cause for concern!»

The incident with Bishimbayev reflects the problems of corrupt authority, according to Tansari. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but Nazarbayev pardoned him, and he was released. Thus, we continue to forgive corrupt officials. Subsequently, this led to the death of his wife.

«Hearing how cruelly he treated his wife, I understood that only a mentally unhealthy person could do that. How do such people stay in power? We have evidence that any position can be bought. Therefore, if we do not protect human rights and do not value life as developed countries do, nothing will change.

To eliminate corruption will require at least a hundred years and three generations. Until the laws work, the mentality of the nation will not change. Only when the legislation changes will society stop blaming women and be guided solely by the law. But until public opinion is formed solely on the basis of mentality,» shared her position Dina Tansari.