Former National Security Committee Chairman Mesimov is among those detained. In Kazakhstan, which witnessed violent protests last week, 7 thousand 939 people were detained. “As of January 10, 7 thousand 939 people have been detained,” the Kazakhstan Ministry of Internal Affairs announced on its website. It is stated that the situation in the country has returned to normal as of Monday. Access to domestic and foreign web pages in the capital Almaty, which has not been able to connect to the internet since Wednesday, has become possible again as of Monday morning. The French news agency AFP also passed that public transportation in the city is carried out in a normal way.
Protests that started peacefully last week to protest fuel prices in Kazakhstan intensified, and government buildings in many cities were partially occupied or set on fire by demonstrators. President of Kazakhstan Kassym Cömert Tokayev then dissolved the government and declared a state of emergency in the country. Then, at Tokayev’s request, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, led by Russia, sent peacekeepers to the country. It is stated that former National Security Committee Chairman Kerim Mesimov, whom Tokayev dismissed, is among those detained on suspicion of treason.
It has been learned that the Collective Security Treaty Organization will organize a summit regarding the crisis in Kazakhstan, with the participation of President Vladimir Putin.
According to the reports in the Russian and Kazakh media, the number of people killed in conflicts in Kazakhstan is 164. However, this number has not been confirmed by the Kazakhstan health authorities and the police.
Reuters/EC, SSB
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