Kazakhstan’s President Qasim-Zomart Tokayev called on Russia and its allies tonight for help in dealing with the “terrorist threat” in his country, as he described it.
Tokayev said he had asked the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) to help Kazakhstan. “I call on the CSTO heads of state today to help Kazakhstan defeat the terrorist threat,” he said, adding that “terrorist gangs” “trained abroad” were inciting the protests.
Kazakhstan protestors are trying to seize the presidential complex in Almaty
Guess government’s resignation really didn’t work
— Ragip Soylu (@ragipsoylu) January 5, 2022
This was the second televised speech of the president in a few hours, as his country is facing the worst riots it has experienced in a decade, due to the increase in the price of LPG.
CSTO was established in October 2002 with parties Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Its aim is to ensure peace and international and regional security and stability as well as the collective defense of the independence, territorial integrity and national sovereignty of its members.
According to Sputnik, citing the Kazakh Interior Ministry, eight police officers and national guards were killed and 317 were injured in the riots.
Reportedly, entire personnel of a police station in Atyrau, #Kazakhstan has joined the protesters
Via tg worldprotest pic.twitter.com/lp0BHLEOvM– Denis Kazakiewicz (@ Den_2042) January 5, 2022
Kazakhstan was declared a state of emergency until January 19. Khabar 24 state television reported that the measures “will restrict freedom of movement, including transport” and will ban “collective events and family gatherings” for weddings, funerals and births.
The restrictions “are imposed due to the deteriorating situation, to ensure public safety, to restore law and order and to protect the rights and freedoms of citizens,” he added.
In this context, traffic will be prohibited from 23.00 to 7.00.
Tokayev also fired the head of the National Security Committee (successor to the Soviet KGB), Karim Massimov. He is being replaced by Yermek Sagimbayev, the current head of the State Security Service.
Earlier, the United States, through White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki, called on the Kazakh authorities to show restraint and expressed hope that the protests would take place “peacefully.” Psaki also criticized “Russia’s crazy allegations” about the alleged US responsibility for the unrest. This claim is “completely wrong” and is part of the “misinformation strategy” on the part of Moscow, he claimed.
The United Nations is monitoring the situation “with concern,” said Stefan Nuzaric, a spokesman for the organization’s secretary general. “It is very important for those involved in the current events to show restraint, to avoid any violence and to promote dialogue,” he added.
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