Russian blogger Ilya Varlamov has released a film dedicated to the issue of domestic violence in Kazakhstan. The programme examines high-profile cases, stories of women who have suffered, the work of the law enforcement and judicial systems, and changes in legislation following the adoption of the 'Saltanat Law'.
WHAT IS SHOWN IN THE FILM
Ilya Varlamov dedicated the programme to the topic of domestic violence in Kazakhstan and called it one of the most acute social problems in the country. In the film, he analyses high-profile cases, tells the stories of women who have survived violence, and discusses the reasons that, in his opinion, contribute to the spread of this problem.
A significant part of the programme is devoted to the case of Saltanat Nukenova and the changes in legislation following the adoption of the so-called 'Saltanat Law'. The work of the police, the mechanism of protective orders and judicial practice are also discussed.
WHO TOOK PART IN THE FILMING
The film features lawyer Zhanna Urazbakhova, head of the 'Ne Molchi' foundation Dina Tansari, and other experts. They spoke about the practice of handling such cases, the work of law enforcement agencies and legislative changes.
Ilya Varlamov himself noted that, in his opinion, the problem of domestic violence in Kazakhstan is now being discussed openly, and attempts are being made to address it at the legislative level.
HOW USERS REACTED
After its publication, the video sparked active discussion on social networks. Some users supported the attention given to the topic, noting that public discussion could help raise awareness.
At the same time, other commenters said the blogger should focus more on the problems of his own country.
WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ilya Varlamov is a Russian journalist and blogger whose audience on YouTube exceeds 5 million subscribers. He is known for his reports on cities, politics and social issues in different countries.
In February 2022, Varlamov left Russia. He was subsequently designated a 'foreign agent' in Russia, and later a Russian court sentenced him in absentia to 8 years in prison on charges of spreading 'fakes'.
CONTEXT
Earlier, the FBRK editorial team conducted its own investigation into the criminal case concerning the death of a resident of Shchuchinsk, Assem Shabelskaya. A man with whom the woman was previously reported to have been in a relationship was detained on suspicion of committing the crime. In the investigation, the editorial team examined the circumstances of the incident and attempted to understand how effectively the existing mechanisms for protecting victims of domestic violence actually work following the adoption of the 'Saltanat Law'.
Read the full investigation on the FBRK website.
Watch our special programme on YouTube.
