Kazakhstan: High-profile murder of teenager shakes society, spurs call for tougher anti-crime measures
Killed over a can of beer.

The brazen killing of a teenaged store clerk in Kazakhstan is sparking a public outcry for police to get tougher on crime.
Sherzat Bolat, 16, died from a severe beating and multiple stab wounds after being attacked by a group of men on October 4 in the city of Talgar near Kazakhstan’s commercial capital Almaty. The boy was behind the counter at his family’s small grocery store at the time. A payment dispute with a customer apparently precipitated the fight that caused his death: during the argument, the customer apparently summoned friends via cell phone and the group proceeded to pummel the boy to death, as well as beat up some of his family members. The following night, the family’s home burned down in what is termed a suspicious blaze. No one was injured in the fire, but the residence was uninhabitable.
The tragedy has generated lots of media attention, highlighting an issue that many complain is prevalent across the country – thugs committing crimes without fear of being punished.
“[Sherzat] died because of a can of beer, literally,” social media influencer Syrym Itkulov said in a YouTube episode dedicated to the Talgar incident.
According to Sherzat’s father, local police did not act with alacrity to bring the killers to justice. Arrests were made only after the incident came under a media spotlight. The publicity also led to a shake-up of the municipal administration and law-enforcement agencies in Talgar.
For many, the incident was reminiscent of the murder of a famous Kazakhstani figure skater, Olympic medalist Denis Ten, who was killed in Almaty in the summer of 2018. The 25-year-old athlete was fatally stabbed during a fight with two thieves, whom he surprised while trying to remove the mirrors on his car.
In the aftermath of that murder, there was a groundswell of public support for reforms in the way police engage with citizens. In response, authorities at the Ministry of Internal Affairs ordered the dismantling of fences around police stations and the installation of more security points to increase people’s access to law-enforcement officers. Authorities also increased staffing at police call centers. The implementation of what ministry officials describe as a “client-oriented” format, however, has had a limited impact on curbing crime and bringing perpetrators to justice.
Almaz Kumenov is an Almaty-based journalist.
Sign up for Eurasianet's free weekly newsletter. Support Eurasianet: Help keep our journalism open to all, and influenced by none.