The Internet believes that Kuandyk Bishimbayev, convicted of murdering his wife, could have avoided punishment and gone abroad

Rumors have appeared online that former Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan Kuandyk Bishimbayev, who was sentenced to 24 years in prison for the murder of his wife Saltanat Nukenova, is not serving his sentence in the colony, and some even believe that he has left Kazakhstan. The reason for this was an investigation by journalists from the local AIRAN channel, who visited the colony in the village of Arshaly, but did not find the prisoner there.

The information that 44-year-old Bishimbayev is not in the colony was confirmed by his lawyer. Internet users, including residents of Kazakhstan, who closely followed the trial, fearing that Bishimbayev might not be punished, believe that he may have left Kazakhstan.

Law enforcement agencies, however, deny Bishimbaev's absence from the colony. "False information about the escape of the convicted Bishimbaev Kuandyk is being spread on social networks. This information is not true. This convicted person is serving his sentence in a maximum security facility," the Committee of the Criminal Executive System commented.

The case of Kuandyk Bishimbayev has caused a huge stir online, and has been discussed far beyond Kazakhstan. On the night of November 8-9, 2023, Kuandyk Bishimbayev beat his wife, 31-year-old Saltanat Nukenova, to death. He beat her for several hours, filming it and humiliating her. After Saltanat's death, he tried to hide the traces of the crime and confuse the investigation. He did not admit his guilt, and in court he stated that Saltanat herself hit the walls and floor, and he allegedly did not hit her vital organs. Saltanat's relatives insist that she had previously complained about beatings from her husband, while she was emotionally and financially dependent on him.

Bishimbayev was sentenced to 24 years in prison. He did not admit his guilt. His brother Bakhytzhan Baizhanov, who witnessed the abuse of Saltanat and remained indifferent, was found guilty of concealing the crime and sentenced to four years in prison.

Against the backdrop of a high-profile case, Kazakhstan adopted a law on ensuring women's rights and children's safety, aimed primarily at criminalizing domestic violence.