The Novosibirsk Regional Court continues to hear a criminal case that represents one of the most heinous displays of human cruelty. Standing behind the iron bars in the courtroom is the defendant, 28-year-old Republic of Uzbekistan citizen Zhurayev Botirali Olimjon ugli.
Originally from the Jizzakh region, Botirali Zhurayev arrived in the Russian Federation to earn money. However, according to investigation materials, he not only failed to engage in legal employment but also established a true "criminal den" in the apartment he rented in Novosibirsk. According to local law enforcement, Zhurayev met a local woman online and soon began living with her and her 3-year-old daughter in an apartment on Krasny Prospekt in the Central District of Novosibirsk.
The woman and her young child became completely dependent on Zhurayev for money and housing. Taking advantage of this, from March 25 to April 27, 2026, he kept them locked inside the apartment, cutting them off from the outside world. According to court materials and witness testimony, acts of violence occurred almost daily, often in front of the mother:
• At the end of March, Zhurayev kicked the 3-year-old girl with his foot. When the child fell to the floor, the mother tried to shield her daughter with her own body, but the abuser struck the woman's arms violently. • On another occasion, he bit the little girl on the face. • According to the investigation, in early April, Zhurayev struck the child at least 22 times on the head and body. When the mother tried to protect her child, Zhurayev dragged her by the hair, slammed her against the wall, and kicked her. • Seeing that the child's health was deteriorating, Zhurayev strictly forbade calling for medical help.
At the end of April, the torture took an even more horrific turn. When the girl choked while eating, Zhurayev struck her hard on the head, causing the child to hit the furniture. After that, he hung the girl upside down by her legs from a crossbar in the apartment and began stabbing her delicate body with needles. When the mother managed to rescue the girl, the defendant tied the woman's hands and feet. Later that day, aiming to get rid of the child once and for all, Botirali Zhurayev struck the girl several times in the face and head and threw her onto a mattress. As the girl was losing consciousness, he delivered a very powerful blow to her abdomen. This blow proved fatal for the child. Rushed to the hospital in critical condition, the girl passed away on the morning of April 28, 2026, in the intensive care unit.
Botirali Olimjon ugli Zhurayev has been charged under several serious articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. These include the torture of two persons, the murder of a minor committed with extreme cruelty, and the intentional infliction of grievous bodily harm on a minor. He faces a potential life sentence for these charges. At the first court hearing held on October 13, Zhurayev completely denied his guilt regarding the torture and murder. He only partially admitted guilt, claiming he hit the girl in a fit of rage and did not intend for her to die. By court decision, Zhurayev's detention period was extended until March 30, 2027. The judicial investigation is ongoing.
