Ex-husband Sentenced to 20 Years for Torture of Asel Nogoibaeva
Azamat Estebesov Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Torturing Ex-Wife
The Sokuluk District Court has handed down a 20-year prison sentence to Azamat Estebesov, who was accused of torturing his ex-wife, Asel Nogoibaeva. According to the victim’s lawyer, Indira Sautova, the accused will serve his sentence for 10 counts of torture, as well as an additional 8 years for rape.
In addition to his prison term, the court has ordered Estebesov to pay 2 million soms to his ex-wife as well as a fine of 80,000 soms to the state.
During the trial, Estebesov requested leniency and claimed that he would change in five years. However, the court ultimately decided to sentence him to the maximum term allowed.
The trial involving Asel Nogoibaeva, who suffered severe injuries including the cutting off of her ears and nose at the hands of her ex-husband, has now concluded. Prior to the trial, Estebesov had denied his guilt, attributing his actions to being possessed by demons and requesting to be taken to a hospital. However, forensic and psychiatric examinations concluded that he was of sound mind at the time of the crime.
Asel Nogoibaeva’s family and activists had advocated for Estebesov to receive a life sentence for his brutal attack. The 36-year-old victim was admitted to the hospital with serious injuries following the incident in September. The case was registered under Article 130 “Causing grave harm to health” of the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic, and a criminal case was initiated as a result.
