“Millions of Girls Dream of Such a Life”: Ex-Diplomat Saken Mamash Faces Trial

The trial of former diplomat Saken Mamash, accused of torturing and abusing his ex-wife Karina Gosman, will be held behind closed doors. The press will only be allowed to attend the announcement of the verdict, Orda.kz report.

Publicity Can Be Dangerous

The main trial in the case of Saken Mamash, former adviser to the Embassy of Kazakhstan in the UAE, has begun in the Interdistrict Criminal Court of Astana. Mamash stands accused of torturing his ex-wife, Karina Gosman (Mamash).

The criminal case against him was opened on May 10, 2024. The hearing was originally set for May 29 but was postponed at the request of the victim.

The long-awaited trial began with the usual crowding at the checkpoint. The building, which houses multiple courts, still appears unprepared to handle large numbers of people quickly. Despite this, high-profile trials often draw dozens, even hundreds, of journalists  — as seen in the widely followed case of former Minister of National Economy Kuandyk Bishimbayev, convicted of killing his partner Saltanat Nukenova.

While the Mamash case hasn't attracted the same level of public attention as Bishimbayev’s, the courtroom was still crowded. Karina Gosman and her lawyers, Bibinur Muratova and Daniyar Adilov, were also caught in the bottleneck.

Once inside, everyone squeezed into the small courtroom. Journalists hoped to capture footage of both Karina and the defendant, Saken Mamash. But from the beginning, Mamash requested that the court prohibit photos and video of him. This was despite his earlier insistence on holding an open trial.

It was the victim’s side that petitioned for the trial to be closed.

The case materials contain intimate details of our life. I have two children, and I believe that when they grow up, this may affect them, reading about this may be painful for them, said Karina Gosman. 

The court partially granted the request.

We will conduct the preparatory part of the main trial in open session, and the judicial investigation will be held behind closed doors. The final verdict will be announced publicly, Judge Artur Abdykhanov ruled. 

Not Guilty — Let Him Go

One of the first motions in the pre-trial phase was to change the measure of restraint for the defendant. His lawyer, Beibitzhan Sailauuly, argued that Mamash had complied fully with pre-trial requirements and had not attempted to flee.

The investigative body presented no reliable evidence that Mamash tried to cross the border or leave Kazakhstan. Detention should be used only in exceptional cases. I ask the court to apply a more lenient measure not involving isolation from society. My client has strong social ties and a permanent residence,the lawyer said. 

Saken Mamash supported his lawyer’s position and added:

At the pre-trial court hearing, three arguments were made. First, that I could interfere with the investigation — but I couldn't. Second, that I pressured or might pressure my ex-wife — I hope she confirms that nothing like that happened. In March, we met with her and the children, but that was at her initiative. She chose the time and place. Third, in his speech in the pre-trial court hearing, the prosecutor claimed that I might try to hide from the investigation. That thought never even crossed my mind; I didn’t think about it. If I had wanted to flee, I simply wouldn't have returned from Dubai, especially since there were no extradition or coercive measures in place.

He stressed that he returned to Kazakhstan voluntarily because he sees this as a family matter.

Our family consists of four people (Mamash meant himself, his ex-wife, their son, and daughter — Ed.). Two of them are citizens of Kazakhstan, whose rights, unfortunately, are being infringed. I’m talking about my children — their constitutional rights, including the right to communicate with both parents, are confirmed by international conventions. That right is now being violated, Mamash said. 

At that point, the judge interrupted and asked him to stick to the subject of the motion.

The state prosecutor argued that preventive measures can be lifted only if they’re no longer necessary or if circumstances have changed.

I believe the investigative court already considered all relevant circumstances when it imposed the measure. The defense has presented nothing new today. Therefore, I believe the preventive measure was justified and should not be changed,said prosecutor Zhangir Sadvakasov. 

The arguments of the injured party turned out to be more interesting. Karina Gosman supported her legal team in court, while her lawyer Bibinur Muratova shared further details:

Unfortunately, everything the defendant said is untrue. He stalked the victim, constantly calling and messaging her — this has been reliably established. He made outrageous claims, including that he had reached some sort of agreement with the investigators. As for their meetings, they occurred solely because the victim was following the court-ordered procedure for arranging contact with the children.

The court denied the defense’s motion and upheld the current measure of restraint — Saken Mamash will remain in pre-trial detention.

Additionally, Saken Mamash informed the court that he would give his testimony in Kazakh. His statements will be translated into Russian for participants who do not speak the state language.

Russian has also been designated as the official language of the trial.

Mamash’s lawyer asked the court to include several documents, videos, and correspondence in the case file, which he claimed support his client’s innocence.

I also request that documents from various foundations to which Saken Mamash provided charitable assistance be added to the case. This is relevant because it was precisely his charitable work that sparked the conflict,said lawyer Beibitzhan Sailauuly. 

Some of the documents were accepted into evidence.

In a third motion, the defense requested the full termination of the criminal case, arguing that the investigation had been biased due to intense public attention. The lawyer insisted the case should be closed "due to lack of evidence.

The court rejected the motion, stating that it was premature and that all circumstances must be examined through trial proceedings.

Smearing and Blaming 

From the outset of the trial, Saken Mamash’s relatives began casting blame on Karina Gosman.

Saken’s public defender and older sister, Nurzhamal Utebaliyeva, argued that Karina was not financially dependent on her ex-husband, allegedly evidenced by the fact that she owned expensive jewelry.

She was not financially dependent. She had everything — two rows of diamonds, three rows,Utebaliyeva stated in court. 

Based on this, she concluded that no torture had taken place.

The portrayal of Karina as a manipulative daughter-in-law was reinforced by Saken Mamash’s older brother, Nurzhan Mamash.

Speaking to journalists, Nurzhan claimed that when Karina was 15, her mother used to correspond with men online on her behalf. He suggested this was almost a criminal act, saying the mother’s goal was to marry her daughter off advantageously.

He claimed to have screenshots of the supposed conversations, which he showed to reporters on his phone.

He also argued that Karina had lived a privileged and luxurious life.

I think millions of girls dream of the life Karina had. She wore diamonds, all kinds of fur coats. She didn’t worry about where to go, what to eat or drinkNurzhan Mamash said. 

Still, it remains unclear why Karina Gosman would leave such a supposedly ideal life in the Emirates and flee to a crisis center in Kazakhstan — a temporary shelter for victims of domestic abuse, known for its modest, not luxurious, conditions.

Karina returned to Kazakhstan from the UAE in May 2024, alleging that her husband, then serving as an adviser to the Kazakh Embassy in the UAE, had been physically abusing her for ten years. She and her children returned with the support of the Kazakh Foreign Ministry and #NeMolchi.kz.

On May 10, 2024, a criminal case was opened against Saken Mamash, and he was relieved of his post.

In October 2024, Karina officially divorced Mamash and dropped his surname, although it still appears on her identification documents.

Ahead of the May 29 court hearing, Karina spoke out publicly for the first time in an exclusive interview with Orda.kz, addressing her message to women across Kazakhstan.

The next court session — and all subsequent judicial proceedings — will be held behind closed doors. Only the verdict will be announced publicly.

Orda.kz continues to follow the case closely.

Original Author: Anastasia Prilepskaya