On November 9, Saltanat Nukenova's husband, Kuandyk Bishimbayev, the former economy minister, was detained in connection with her death. Saltanat was just 31 years old. Her tragic passing has sparked fresh calls for action against domestic abuse in Kazakhstan, a country that does not currently criminalize domestic violence as a standalone offense. Saltanat's case sheds light on the systemic nature of domestic violence in Kazakhstan, revealing how existing laws, as well as the police and judiciary, fail to adequately protect women from family violence.
Lawmakers are currently considering the "partial criminalization of repeated 'battery' and 'light bodily harm,' offenses commonly used in cases of family abuse, which were decriminalized in 2017. However, these measures alone would not go far enough. Saltanat's death has prompted various segments of Kazakh society to demand the criminalization of domestic violence. Women's rights activists and organizations like Human Rights Watch have long advocated for this change. In a video published on November 17, athletes, artists, businesspeople, bloggers, and lawyers joined forces to call for tougher measures to address violence against women, including the full criminalization of domestic violence.
Approximately 150,000 citizens have signed a petition proposing the recriminalization of "battery" and "intentional infliction of light bodily harm." Vlast.kz, an independent online media outlet, has also issued a statement condemning violence against women. Women in Kazakhstan too often face injury or even death due to the authorities' failure to uphold their rights and adequately protect them from abuse. The public has made its stance clear, and now it's time for the government to act. Criminalizing domestic violence and ending impunity for abusers is crucial to safeguarding women's lives and well-being.
