The husband and mother-in-law of former Kazakh judge Aigul Sailybayeva, who was found dead in Germany, have been detained in Moscow, according to her family and legal representatives.
The detentions were confirmed by lawyer Murat Adam and Sailybayeva’s brother, Kanat Sailybayev.
Detentions reported on Dec. 23
According to the sources, Alexander Dontsov, Sailybayeva’s husband, and Natalia Dontsova, her mother-in-law, were taken into custody on Dec. 23, 2025.
Authorities are now considering whether the two could be extradited to Kazakhstan. Legal experts note that the process could be lengthy due to diplomatic considerations and the fact that the detainees reportedly hold multiple citizenships.
Disappearance and discovery of the body
Kursiv.media previously reported that Sailybayeva went missing overnight on June 3-4, 2024.
Her body was discovered on June 16 in a wooded area near Lake Erlache in Germany. She had sustained stab wounds, and her remains were found inside a plastic bag, according to reports.
Lawyer says victim was pregnant
Kazakh lawyer Zhanna Urazbakhova, also known as Zhanna Mukhamadi, said Sailybayeva was pregnant at the time of her death. Urazbakhova described the killing as having been carried out with «particular cruelty.»
«Aigul was killed with particular cruelty; her body was transported from the scene to the lake. At the time of her death, she was 24 weeks pregnant — almost seven months,» Urazbakhova said. «Her husband, Alexander Dontsov, did not report concern about her disappearance, did not attempt to look for her, and did not contact police. After the body was found, additional details surfaced: Aigul had reportedly experienced domestic violence from both her husband and mother-in-law. She had informed friends about these incidents and sent them photos of her injuries.»
German police’s handling of the case
Notably, Urazbakhova criticized German police for their handling of the murder investigation, saying that nearly two years after the killing, the suspects had remained at large and no arrests or searches had been publicly reported until recently.
