Sister of Homicide Victim Alleges Mishandling and Pressure in Almaty Case

The sister of Bagaudin Oziev, fatally injured during an altercation in central Almaty in November 2023, has raised concerns about the handling of the homicide case of her brother, Orda.kz reports.

In a video appeal, she said prosecutors reclassified the case from “intentional homicide” to “causing serious harm while exceeding the limits of necessary self-defense.” She believes this shift could allow the suspect, Akim Zadorozhny, to avoid full legal accountability.

According to the family, Zadorozhny had evaded law enforcement for more than a year before voluntarily turning himself in.

After his surrender, the Medeu District Prosecutor’s Office reportedly released him from pre-trial detention within two months. The sister believes this decision followed the reclassification of the charges.

In response, the Almaty Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that the pre-trial investigation has been completed and that the case materials are now under review by the parties. It will be transferred to the Medeu District Prosecutor’s  Office for legal evaluation and jurisdictional determination. 

Officials added that the complainant has been received previously and is scheduled for another meeting. Additional details were withheld under Article 201 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The incident took place on the night of November 25–26, 2023, outside a karaoke bar in Almaty. What began as a verbal dispute inside reportedly escalated into a street altercation where Oziev sustained fatal stab wounds. 

One suspect was detained, another declared wanted, while others were released under travel restrictions.

MMA fighter Artyom Reznikov, a friend of the Zadorozhny brothers, had publicly stated that Oziev drew a knife first and was injured in the ensuing confrontation. He described the incident as self-defense, noting that one of the brothers was also seriously wounded.

Oziev’s relatives and acquaintances maintain that he went to the bar for a discussion over a past dispute and had no intention of provoking violence. The disagreement reportedly stemmed from a property damage incident involving one of the Zadorozhny brothers.

Original Author: Ruslan Loginov