Aigul Sailybayeva: Kazakhstan Places Husband and Mother-in-Law on Wanted List

Kazakhstan's law enforcement has issued a national wanted notice for Alexander Dontsov and Natalya Dontsova— the husband and mother-in-law of former judge Aigul Sailybayeva, who was killed in Germany more than a year ago, Orda.kz reports.

Aigul’s family hopes this step will accelerate the stalled investigation and bring them closer to justice.

Sailybayeva, a Bolashak alumna and former judge, was found dead near Lake Erlach in June 2024 while 24 weeks pregnant.

According to her lawyer, Zhanna Urazbakhova, the primary suspect is Natalya Dontsova, who left Germany the night of the homicide. Alexander Dontsov soon departed for Russia with the couple’s daughter and did not take part in the search for Aigul.

Aigul’s relatives have repeatedly accused German police of failing to act. Despite what they describe as direct evidence, German investigators have not filed charges after more than eighteen months. Her lawyer says key material was ignored, and the family believes the Dontsovs are taking advantage of connections to avoid accountability.

According to the family, Aigul suffered domestic abuse from both her husband and mother-in-law. The killing occurred shortly after she withdrew money from her bank account.

Her body — wrapped in plastic bags and bearing signs of desecration — was discovered two weeks later.

Kazakhstan's Deputy Interior Minister Sanzhar Adilov previously confirmed that investigators are pursuing charges under Article 110 of the Criminal Code (“Torture”). Kazakhstan and Germany continue to exchange information through international legal channels.

Original Author: Dinara Bekbolayeva