The appellate instance upheld the sentence for a 30-year-old man whom a court in Astana sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment in a case involving violent acts of a sexual nature. The victims in the case were underage girls.
WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE ATTACK
The entry of the sentence into force was reported on her Facebook page by Dinara Smailova. According to her, the incident occurred when the sisters, aged 12 and 2, were returning from a shop.
Smailova claims that the man approached the older girl from behind, grabbed her, and began pulling her towards him. The girls tried to run away, but the man caught up with them and dragged them towards some bushes.
According to Smailova, after the children screamed, the man threw them to the ground, struck the older girl in the face and stomach, and then grabbed the younger one and began to choke her. The older sister bit the attacker and managed to take the child, after which the girls ran away.
WHAT THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED
According to Smailova, the man had previously been convicted five times. She also claims that a day before the attack on the sisters, he attacked other girls, after which neighbours detained him, but police later released him.
Smailova stated that after the attack on the two sisters, the man was also initially not placed in custody. According to her, it took several days to have him placed in a pre-trial detention centre.
Also, according to the post, the investigation revealed that the man had HIV-positive status and was aware of it. Other circumstances relating to his state of health are not specified in the material provided.
HOW THE CHARGES CHANGED
Initially, the man's actions were classified under Article 121-1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Later, the charges were strengthened.
Ultimately, the man was found guilty under Part 4 of Article 121 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan (“Violent acts of a sexual nature”). Details of the change in classification and the content of the court rulings are not provided in the post.
WHAT DECISION THE COURT MADE
In June 2026, the court in Astana sentenced the man to 20 years' imprisonment. According to Smailova, an appellate hearing took place on 12 August 2026, after which the sentence entered into legal force.
Smailova also addressed the Astana prosecutor's office with criticism of the initial classification of the case and the length of the proceedings. No official position from the prosecutor's office or police regarding the claims made in the post is included in the materials provided.
