A high profile murder trial of a former government minister in Kazakhstan has been followed by millions and shone a spotlight on the country’s domestic violence problem. After a landmark sentence saw a once powerful politician held to account for his wife’s murder, and a new law brought in, it has raised the question about whether there could be justice for other victims.

Just after 07:15 local time, footage from a restaurant in the capital Astana captured Kuandyk Bishimbayev hitting and kicking Saltanat, and dragging her by the hair.

Bishimbayev’s relative, Bakhytzhan Baizhanov, the director of the food court complex where the restaurant was located, was sentenced to four years in prison for concealing a crime. He claimed during the trial that Bishimbayev asked him to delete surveillance footage.

Saltanat’s childhood was spent in the north-east city of Pavlodar – close to Kazakhstan’s border with Russia.

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