Kazakhstan: National Security officer was convicted of attempted rape

The Karasai District Court of Almaty region sentenced the former captain of the National Security Committee Sabyrzhan Narymbaev, accused of attempting to rape Aya Umurzakova. The accused was found guilty and sentenced to 9 years in prison.

Aya Umurzakova told her story to the public on November 20, 2020. In her video message posted on Instagram, the girl said that on the night of September 11-12, she thumbed a ride in the city of Kaskelen to get home.

The National Security officer Sabyrzhan Narymbaev was driving the car. There was also another passenger in the car, who soon got out.

“The driver said that he needed to go to the village of Kiz, that he had some urgent business there, but I refused and demanded to stop the car,” Umurzakova said. “He told me not to worry that he would take me home later. In a panic, I began to call my mother, he snatched the phone out of my hands.”

Further, according to the girl, the events developed like in a thriller. The National Security officer brought Umurzakova to the field and began to pester her. He tore off the hijab from her head with the words that “under the headscarves the girls are completely different”. The girl resisted, the National Security captain began to beat her and promised to kill and bury her in the same field. Then he got out of the car to get something from the trunk. At that very moment, Aya tried to escape, but the officer caught up with her and began to kick her. She threw a handful of earth in his face. At that moment, a car appeared on the road. The rapist, apparently frightened of the witnesses, got into his car and drove away. Aya rushed to a passing car, there were three guys. They took her to the police.

“I appeal to the Internet community because I am afraid that the case will not go to court. The District Department of Internal Affairs is doing business very slowly without deadlines. During this time, his relatives came to persuade me in every possible way, intimidate that they would make me guilty, that I was like a cheat. Because of this case, I was left without work. After all this, I am afraid to go out on the street alone. I was forced to seek help from a psychologist. I hardly dared to take this step. I will not be silent. I ask our competent authorities to help me and take this case under control. I want everything to be fair and I am asking to conduct an objective and detailed investigation of this case,” Umurzakova said in her video message.

At the trial, the girl also noted that at some moment she wanted to commit suicide, but then, with the support of loved ones, she decided to achieve justice.

The state prosecutor requested 9 years’ imprisonment for the defendant. The defendant’s lawyers insisted on his innocence. However, the court sided with the victim and sentenced the National Security officer to 9 years in prison. Narymbaev was also stripped of the rank of captain and banned from holding positions of responsibility for five years.