Translated material
Protests in Kazakhstan. Online
The Insider monitors what is happening in Kazakhstan online.
In Kazakhstan, protests caused by a sharp increase in liquefied gas prices have not subsided for the sixth day. The rallies began on January 2 in Zhanaozen, and later the city residents were supported in many other localities. By the evening of January 4, protests, in which people mostly come out with political demands, covered most of the country.
In Kazakhstan, 5,969 people were detained during protests, reports the Kazakh publication Vlast. In addition, 164 people have died among the protesters so far. Of these: 103 - in the city of Almaty, 21 - in Kyzylorda, 10 - in Zhambyl, 8 - in Almaty regions. It is completely unclear in which regions another 22 people died, who were not included in the regional statistics of the Ministry of Health.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan stated that the protesters causing unrest in the country used police and military uniforms. The acting head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Erlan Turgumbayev, also added that the “militants” took such a step in order to “undermine the authority of the authorities.”
“At the same time, in order to seize weapons, numerous attacks were carried out with the use of firearms and incendiary mixtures on the departments of Almaty, Zhambyl and Kyzylorda regions and the city of Shymkent, and in Almaty - on the police department and 3 regional units. The bandits also attacked military units and checkpoints of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in order to seize weapons and military equipment,” he explained.
Almaty is completely surrounded by checkpoints. Shooting can still be heard in the city and the “anti-terrorist operation” announced by the Kazakh authorities continues. Although some grocery stores have opened, there is not even bread on sale, a TASS correspondent reports, citing local residents.
Almaty International Airport is closed for an indefinite period, the airport press service reported. It was previously stated that it would be closed until January 10.
RT cameraman Stas Obishchenko was harshly detained by security forces in the city of Almaty, RT reports .
“The team came from Nur-Sultan to Almaty. Then I went to film some stand-ups in the church. After that, they decided to “shoot” military equipment on Republic Square, but as soon as our correspondents arrived there, a car with military men drove up, they forced everyone to their knees, threatened them with machine guns and forced them to get into the car,” says RT producer Mikhail Krasnov.
According to him, it is still not possible to establish contact with Obishchenko, and the channel’s management is trying to do this “through the embassy.”
Tokayev fired Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of Kazakhstan Azamat Abdymomunov. In 2015, Nursultan Nazarbayev appointed him to this post.
Azamat Abdymomunov has served on the Security Council since 2014. First - Deputy Secretary of the Security Council, then - Head of the Secretariat of the Security Council.
In addition, Gabit Sadyrbekov was appointed first deputy chairman of the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Financial Monitoring.
15:27In Almaty, a 4-year-old girl named Korkemay died during protests two days ago. She was traveling in a car with her uncle to buy groceries. There were also two other children in the car - a boy and a girl. They are injured, the girl is currently in intensive care. Korkemai was hit directly in the head by a bullet.
Also on January 6, protester Aziz Musaev was shot dead. That day he was returning home from his sister. At 22.30 near the Coffeeroom, Aziz decided to help the wounded old man, and at that moment a bullet overtook him.
In addition, three days ago, an 11-year-old boy was shot dead during a walk with his parents, Interfax writes, citing a statement by the Children's Rights Ombudsman Aruzhan Sain. Sain also reported that a 15-year-old teenager was in one of the Almaty hospitals with severe gunshot wounds.
15:03Meanwhile, it became known that businessman Kanat Dzhunusov and the son of the rector of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University Zhanseit Tuimebaev were killed during the protests in Almaty. The body of Kanat Dzhunusov was found in the morgue two days ago: he was shot in the head while driving near Republic Square.
The son of Zhanseit Tuymenbaev was also shot dead. He was driving home along Dostyk Street in a personal car.
13:28 In Aktau, arrests began on Yntymak Square. The city prosecutor called on the protesters to disperse, but the protesters ignored this demand. Three of them were put in a paddy wagon, an Orda correspondent reports .
Riots in Almaty on January 7.
In the video, teenagers are trying to ram a shopping center in a stolen car. They're trying to stop them
10:31In Kazakhstan, the former chairman of the country's National Security Committee, Karim Masimov, was detained on charges of treason, TASS reports . Besides him, “other persons” were sent to a temporary detention center on similar charges. Details of the criminal case have not been disclosed.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev wrote on his Twitter page that there have been at least six “terrorist” attacks in Almaty—that’s what Tokayev calls the protesters, replacing his usual definition of “bandits,” which the president gave to the protesters this morning.
According to the president, protesters “beat and killed police officers and young soldiers, set fire to administrative buildings, looted private premises and shops, killed civilians, and raped young women.”
In addition, Tokayev noted that he is absolutely convinced that he will not have any conversations with “terrorists.” “We must kill them,” he said, adding that all the “terrorists” performing are well prepared. “They are organized and under the command of a special center. Some of them did not speak Kazakh,” he emphasized.
Tokayev also added that there is no doubt that the entire country “is threatened by an armed act of aggression, well prepared and coordinated by criminals and terrorist groups trained outside its borders.”
02:11They were beating and killing policemen and young soldiers, putting fire at administrative buildings, looting private premises and shops, killing secular citizens, raping young women. In my basic view: no talks with the terrorists, we must kill them.
— Qasym-Jomart Toqayev (@TokayevKZ) January 7, 2022
As reported by the international human rights organization Human Rights Watch, the Kazakh authorities should immediately cancel the order to “shoot to kill without warning” given by Tokayev on the morning of January 7. Such an order “violates Kazakhstan’s international legal obligations and the right to life of its citizens.” “Force should only be used in extreme cases,” HRW said, adding that thorough investigations in such situations should not be forgotten.
“It is critical for the Kazakh authorities to ensure that all security forces on the ground act to protect human life and are held accountable when they fail to do so,” said Deputy Director for Crisis and Conflict Letta Tyler.
01:58Meanwhile, railway traffic is gradually resuming in Kazakhstan, KTZ reports. Additional trains have been launched to transport passengers, and a platform has been opened for purchasing tickets without Internet access. Tickets can be purchased through the website bilet.railways.kz and the Kaspi.kz application. At the same time, in the city of Aktau, Mangistau region, they plan to resume air traffic on January 8.
00:39The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan reported that more than 4,000 people were detained during the protests that unfolded in the country. The largest number of arrests took place in the city of Almaty. Representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that during the “cleansing” of the regions from “terrorists,” as the department calls the protesters, the activities of over 100 such individuals were suppressed. They face life imprisonment.
To date, all government buildings have been taken under control. The streets are patrolled by security forces as usual.
00:08 In the country's largest city, Almaty, looting continues, although its center has been taken under control by the military, who are opening fire on “suspicious groups” of people. Looters are taking food out of supermarkets on the outskirts of the city. Local residents complain that they have already run out of cash, and in a few days their food supplies will also be exhausted. There are queues at gas stations and in front of ATMs. There is not enough bread in stores, Radio Azattyk reports .
In Almaty, musician and director Saken Bitaev, who was called the “father of Kazakh hip-hop,” was shot dead during protests. Bitaev and his friend were sitting in a car and talking when a crowd of looters approached them. According to the musician’s surviving companion, they wanted to take the car away from them. When the car started moving, they opened fire on it. Bitaev died from a wound to the lung, said journalist Daniyar Adilbekov.
The military has increased the perimeter of the closed zone around Republic Square in Almaty. You are not allowed to approach the square. Noticing a “suspicious gathering of people,” the military begins “to shoot in their direction with a warning,” TASS reports . On the adjacent streets there are several cars that were shot at at night. The bodies of the dead remained inside the cars.
In Almaty, rioters destroyed police cars.
Former adviser to the first President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, Ermukhamet Ertysbaev, considers the betrayal of the heads of security forces one of the reasons for the mass unrest in the country, which resulted in the seizure of administrative buildings and transport hubs. “The scale of such an attempted coup, an armed rebellion, is astounding,” he emphasized, speaking on state television.
According to the former official, it was only possible to organize the actions of the protesters so well with the participation of “traitors from the highest echelon of power, especially law enforcement agencies.” For example, 40 minutes before the attack on Almaty airport, “the command was given to completely remove the cordon and security.” Yertysbayev called the protesters who took part in the seizure of buildings “terrorists, monsters and murderers.”
In Kazakhstan, the mayor's office of Baikonur, where the cosmodrome leased by Russia is located, has imposed a curfew until January 19. The city prohibits “the movement of persons in groups of more than three people, with the exception of family members.” The movement of unaccompanied minors is also prohibited. Baikonur, together with the police, will be patrolled by people's squads created at the enterprises.
It is reported that Almaty airport will be closed until January 9, 2022.
16:27 The Belarusian military contingent as part of the CSTO forces arrived in Kazakhstan and “began to carry out the assigned tasks,” the Belarusian Ministry of Defense reported.
In Moscow, a court arrested an activist for 15 days for picketing near the Kazakh embassy. His action was dedicated to supporting the protests taking place in Kazakhstan.
Updated data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan: 3,811 people were detained throughout the country, 26 were killed, 26 were injured.
One of the most prominent protest participants, Arman Dzhumageldiev, known as “Wild Arman,” was detained in Kazakhstan, reports the main headquarters “for the fight against terrorism.”
Previously, Dzhumageldiev criticized the looters and called on protesters for peaceful protests. He addressed the looters with a demand to stop the chaos and called on them to join the format of peaceful rallies.
The President of Kyrgyzstan signed a decree on sending the Kyrgyz military to Kazakhstan as part of the CSTO peacekeeping mission.
Temporary restrictions on the sale of liquefied petroleum gas have been introduced in the western and southern regions of Kazakhstan, the country's Ministry of Energy reported . Mass protests in the country began on January 2 due to a sharp increase in prices for this gas.
The Ministry of Energy associated restrictions on sales with the need to ensure safety measures at gas stations, as well as with the fact that the Internet does not work and it is impossible to make payments for fuel.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reports that 9 Russian Il-76 military transport aircraft carrying military personnel and airborne equipment landed at the Almaty airfield.
13:12Photos of what the presidential residence in Almaty now looks like have appeared online:
3,706 people have been detained in Kazakhstan, local TV reports , citing the “operational headquarters for the fight against terrorism.”
Tokayev: “The introduction of a state of emergency is yielding results; constitutional legality is being restored throughout Kazakhstan.”
Tokayev also noted: “It is critically important to understand why the state slept through the training of militants? Almaty was attacked by 20 thousand bandits.”
In Almaty, hundreds of civilians and military personnel were injured and killed due to the actions of “terrorists,” Tokayev said .
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev allowed the military to shoot to kill without warning.
“What kind of negotiations can there be with criminals, with bandits? They need to be destroyed. This will be done in the near future,” Tokayev said. He ruled out the possibility of a peaceful resolution to the conflict and said that the militants must be “destroyed.”
Tokayev said that the Internet will be turned on at intervals in different regions of the country. However, “free access to the Internet does not mean free posting of thoughts.” Those who post extremist statements on the Internet will be criminally punished.
Russian Airborne Forces units flew from Ulyanovsk to Kazakhstan. The transfer of forces also continues from airfields in the Moscow and Ivanovo regions, the Ministry of Defense reported.
The Russian military, together with law enforcement agencies of Kazakhstan, took full control of Almaty airport, the Russian Ministry of Defense reports.
It is also reported that the commander of the Airborne Forces, Colonel General Andrei Serdyukov , has been appointed to lead the actions of the “CSTO peacekeeping forces” on the part of Russia in Kazakhstan.
From his biography it is known that he was a participant in the First and Second Chechen Wars, the forced march of the combined airborne battalion to Pristina and the military operation in Syria. In 2014, he took part in the annexation of Crimea to the Russian Federation.
10:41 Kyrgyzstan will send its military personnel to Kazakhstan as part of the CSTO peacekeeping forces, said member of the Kyrgyz parliament Nurzhigit Kadyrbekov. According to him, this decision was made at a meeting on January 7. Previously, the country's parliament did not reach the quorum necessary to consider this issue.
100 military personnel left Armenia for Kazakhstan as part of the CSTO peacekeeping forces, the country’s Ministry of Defense said .
The Almaty mayor's office confirmed media reports about the death of the driver of the Almaty TV channel as a result of shelling of a film crew in front of the city administration building. Five television cameramen from the mayor’s office were injured, said Deputy Mayor of the city Erzhan Babakumarov.
A “critical red” level of terrorist threat has been introduced in Kazakhstan. Security services can inspect people, their vehicles and belongings, and enter residential premises.
During special operations in Kazakhstan, more than 3 thousand people were detained, 26 were killed, and another 18 were injured, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan reported.
Active continuous shooting began near the presidential residence in Almaty, RBC reports .
According to the agency, single shots were also heard in the city center in the morning. There is a car parked near the local administration building, where a fire previously occurred, with a human corpse inside, an RBC correspondent reports.
RIA Novosti and TASS correspondents also report shooting in the center of Almaty.
Media reports that the Internet has been shut down again in Kazakhstan. He worked for several hours.
Meanwhile, the United States stated that it was ready to assist Kazakhstan in resolving problems related to the suppression of protests.
“We believe that the government of Kazakhstan will be able to solve the problems that have now emerged, and we hope so. If we can help Kazakhstan solve these problems, the United States is ready to do so,” said Ned Price, head of the press service of the US State Department.
At the same time, Washington does not want to issue specific instructions.
02:11 In the Mangistau region, members of the government met with an initiative group of protesters advocating lowering fuel prices and maintaining public safety, RIA Novosti reports . Negotiations took place. The participants discussed the possibility of resolving the situation.
Criminal cases have been initiated in Kazakhstan regarding the organization and participation in mass riots. This is being done by a new interdepartmental investigative and operational group. It included employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the National Security Committee and other law enforcement agencies. A pre-trial investigation into an act of terrorism has been launched, reports the Kazakh publication Vlast.
22:19Kazakh television channels are broadcasting statements from the prosecutor's office that protesters could face from eight years in prison to life imprisonment with deprivation of citizenship. The statement is quoted by the Russian state media RIA Novosti.
22:11CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas said that the “peacekeeping forces” in Kazakhstan will number 2,500 military personnel. RIA Novosti reports this. At the same time, it was previously reported that the number of Russian troops sent to the Republic alone totals 3,000 people. Belarus will send 500 military personnel. Tajikistan - 200, and Armenia - 70.
22:01In Almaty, the golden fund of Kazakh cinema burned down as a result of protests. This was reported by Atameken Business TV channel.
21:35 Meanwhile, the Taliban terrorist movement stated that it was monitoring the situation in Kazakhstan. The Taliban called on the parties “to dialogue and mutual understanding.” The Taliban-appointed spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdul Qahara Balkhi, wrote about this on Twitter.
A counter-terrorism operation is underway in the Kyzylorda region. According to regional akim Gulshara Abdykalikova, several administrative buildings were damaged as a result of the protests. These include: the akimat building, a branch of the Nur Otan party and the court building.
20:34An employee of the Almaty TV channel died. The film crew's car came under fire and the driver was killed, reports Orda.kz.
20:22In Almaty, shots are heard again from the direction of Republic Square. Previously, the authorities stated that they had completely “cleared” the square of protesters.
20:04 In Almaty, law enforcement agencies vacated the central square and the presidential residence, reports the Khabar-24 TV channel. All government buildings in Almaty are under the control of security forces, authorities say. Local media also report that Republic Square, which became the center of the protest, has been cleared of activists.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan stated that those looters and protesters who refuse to lay down their arms will face destruction.
Police and National Guard patrols have been intensified in the regions. In case of armed resistance to demands to lay down their arms, the protesters are destroyed,” said a representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan.
UN High Commissioner: about a thousand people were injured during protests in Almaty alone.
The Office for the Protection and Development of Competition of Kazakhstan stated that signs of price collusion were established in the actions of the largest sellers of liquefied gas. It was with demands to reduce the cost of liquefied gas at gas stations from 120 tenge (21 rubles) to 50 tenge (ten rubles) that the protests began.
Security has been strengthened at Baikonur launch complexes, storage sites for rocket fuel components and Krainy airport. This was reported by TASS with reference to information from the Center for the Operation of Ground-Based Space Infrastructure Facilities.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan reported that the number of security forces killed during the protests has increased to 18. There is still no official information on the number of protesters killed.
18:04There are no beds in Almaty hospitals as more and more people are admitted with gunshot wounds. As the head of the Kazakh bureau of Radio Azattyk told The Insider, during the assault in Almaty, security forces killed several dozen civilians.
17:50The Russian Ministry of Defense published a video of the arrival of Russian military personnel in Kazakhstan.
17:44The “cleansing” of protesters continues in Almaty. Explosions and shooting are heard.
17:36On Revolution Square in Almaty, security forces continue to shoot at people and cars. Eyewitnesses report wounded and killed, but cannot say the exact number - it is impossible to approach the bodies due to the shooting.
17:16 A representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan stated that “the terrorists were destroyed,” security forces repelled an attack by protesters on the building of the police department of the Almaly district of Almaty, reports Sputnik Kazakhstan.
A column of military trucks is moving towards Revolution Square in Almaty.
Meanwhile, in Zhanaozen, the city where the protests began, a peaceful rally is taking place . Several thousand people turned to the authorities with a question: will the authorities persecute them? The representative of the prosecutor's office, swearing to God, promised that "there will be no persecution." The workers responded that then they would not disperse and would continue their peaceful protest.
16:18 In Almaty, the military demanded through loudspeakers to leave Republic Square and warned of opening fire. Eyewitnesses report injuries, TASS reports.
School holidays in Kazakhstan have been extended until January 17, and college and university students will rest until January 24 - RIA Novosti.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan published a video of yesterday’s storming of the akimat in Aktobe. A civilian car can be seen crashing into the security cordon.
“On January 5, in Aktobe, along Abulkhair Khan Avenue, protesters stormed the akimat. As a result of illegal actions, an unknown person in a VAZ 2114 car deliberately ran over police officers standing in a cordon near the regional akimat, as a result of which one police officer was injured. The car was found abandoned several blocks from the scene of the collision. At the moment, the identity of the driver is being established, and the victim has been hospitalized in the Aktobe Emergency Hospital,” NeKhabar quotes a statement from the security forces.
Uzbekistan Airways has canceled flights to Kazakhstan until January 13, RIA Novosti reports.
The Kazakh Foreign Ministry denies information about the entry ban for foreigners; they said that airlines are simply canceling flights.
Shooting can be heard on Republic Square in Almaty, Sputnik Kazakhstan reports. Eyewitnesses also talk about explosions. A special operation is underway in the city. There are now several hundred protesters in the square.
Meanwhile, checkpoints have been set up at the presidential residence in Nur-Sultan.
Photos of a shot demonstrator in the middle of a street in Almaty are being circulated online.
An RBC correspondent reports that entry into Almaty is difficult.
“The correspondent’s car was not able to enter two roads - the entrances to the city were blocked by fires and barrels, and armed people in balaclavas did not allow passage on one of them. In the suburbs of Almaty at gas stations you can see queues of cars, one of the gas stations was destroyed, gasoline from the storage facility is being poured directly into cans. There are queues of up to 30 people at ATMs.”
15:15 Police in Almaty use weapons when clearing the streets, the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs told Vlast: “Are they using weapons? Of course, against these. I can’t say, this is supposed to happen during an emergency. They hide behind children, women, we warn everyone not to go out. This makes our work difficult. And they want to film.”
In Almaty, police moved out to “clean up” the streets. In total, about 2 thousand people were brought to the police - RIA Novosti with reference to Sputnik Kazakhstan.
Kazakhtelecom has turned on wired Internet in all regions except Almaty - Global Chek.
At least 30 protesters were killed during clashes with security forces on Republic Square in Almaty, the Independent Coordination Headquarters reported. The military fired live ammunition.
Eyewitnesses say that unknown people blocked one of the highways and were burning tires near the Aport shopping center in Almaty.
14:20 Orda writes that in Aktau there are clashes between protesters and provocateurs who are calling to believe Tokayev and stop protests.
Kazakhstan has suspended the entry of foreign citizens into the country due to the state of emergency - RIA Novosti, citing the Kazakh embassy in Tashkent.
Landline Internet has started working in Nur-Sultan - TASS.
Republic Square in Almaty now looks like this. Photo by Orda.kz
The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that Russia views “the latest events in a country friendly to us as an attempt, inspired from outside, to violently, using trained and organized armed formations, to undermine the security and integrity of the state.”
Lukashenko addressed protesters in Kazakhstan and advised them to “kneel before the military and apologize”:
“Well, we made some noise, shouted, and that’s enough. Enough is enough, we need to negotiate before we go too far. But it is possible to come to an agreement with this president, Tokayev. This is a normal person, a diplomat with whom you can negotiate. A very smart, educated person. And Kazakhstanis must understand that this is their country and they will not have another. Therefore, to turn the country upside down - well, it will be expensive to restore it later. And there are contradictions between clans and groups, God forbid, it will still be necessary to come to an agreement.
Therefore, in popular terms, we need to go, kneel down and apologize to the military in order to smooth out this crack that has emerged. And sit down with the authorities, with Tokayev. He invites everyone who wishes to negotiate and build his state. But for us this is a lesson, another lesson. In the sense that we now understand what could happen to us. And the point is not even that we are peaceful Belarusians. It would not be Belarusians who would resolve issues in Belarus.”
13:44The President of Uzbekistan discussed the situation with Tokayev and the head of Tajikistan.
“During the conversation, the heads of state exchanged views on the development of the situation in Kazakhstan, measures taken to stabilize the situation and the speedy restoration of peace and tranquility in the republic,” says a message on the website of the President of Uzbekistan.
So, they report that Russia sent 3,000 troops to Kazakhstan to suppress the protests, and Belarus - 500. Tajikistan will send 200, and Armenia 70. And only Kyrgyzstan has so far abstained.
13:36 The body of the third beheaded security official was found in Almaty - Habr 24. There is still not a word about the killed protesters.
S7 has suspended the sale of tickets for its own and joint flights with Air Astana to Kazakhstan until January 23, the company’s press service.
Tajikistan sends about 200 military personnel to Kazakhstan as part of the CSTO - source RIA Novosti.
Almaty center today - Reuters photos.
Due to the lack of a quorum, the Kyrgyz parliament was unable to hold an emergency meeting on the participation of the Kyrgyz military in the CSTO mission in Kazakhstan. Earlier, the press secretary of the President of Kyrgyzstan said that even if the military were sent to Kazakhstan, they would not confront the protesters.
Meanwhile, in Moscow, on Chistoprudny Boulevard, about 10 people picketing in support of Kazakhstan were detained, OVD-Info reports . All detainees were released on an undertaking to appear at the police station.
12:33 Protesters in Aktau recorded a video message : “Enough is enough, we need peace. Nazarbayev left, we achieved what we wanted, peace to our home.” After that, they packed up the tents and cleaned up the area after the action.
Chelyabinsk residents reported the closure of the border of Kazakhstan with the Chelyabinsk region, writes “KP Chelyabinsk”. But the FSB denies this.
The CSTO confirmed the participation of the Belarusian military as part of the peacekeeping forces in Kazakhstan.
Armenia sent about 70 military personnel to Kazakhstan, reports Sputnik Armenia
Kyrgyz troops, if sent to Kazakhstan as part of the CSTO mission, will not confront the protesters, said the press secretary of the country's president.
The number of security forces killed in Almaty has risen to 13, RIA Novosti reports , two of them have already been beheaded.
“This is direct evidence of the extremist, terrorist nature of the actions of criminal groups,” the Almaty akimat said.
The exact number of protesters killed is still not known.
All flights from Moscow to Almaty and Nur-Sultan were canceled on Thursday. Belavia Airlines is also canceling flights to Almaty. The airports of Almaty, Aktau and Aktobe are closed.
Various channels report that protesters in Almaty surrounded two city hospitals. One of them began clashing with the police. There is still no Internet throughout Kazakhstan; mostly only state channels broadcast.
The akimat building in Taldyrkogan, where the monument to Nazarbayev was demolished, was completely destroyed by fire.
12:05 12 law enforcement officers were killed, 353 were injured - Almaty commandant's office. One of the dead, according to state channels, had his head cut off. Earlier, police reported dozens of protesters killed.
RIA Novosti published footage of the dispatch of “the Russian part of the peacekeeping contingent” (in fact, military paratroopers) to Kazakhstan. The Zvezda TV channel also published a video showing at least two planes taking off.
Tokayev gave the government a number of urgent instructions:
— Create a special investigation team to identify the causes of the events, identify and bring to criminal and administrative responsibility all those responsible.
- The Armed Forces, the National Security Committee, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the National Guard and other law enforcement agencies - to implement measures to increase combat readiness and equipment, and maintain the morale of military personnel.
— Regional akimats to provide decent material support to the families of fallen police officers and Armed Forces.
— Organize a direct line to provide citizens with information about victims and missing persons as a result of the actions of criminal gangs.
— Create commissions to assess the amount of damage incurred as a result of the riots; to begin work on the restoration of administrative buildings, social facilities, residential buildings in Almaty and other regions after the situation has stabilized.
— Akims should stabilize the work of public utilities, public transport and social infrastructure.
— Take measures to provide government support to affected small and medium-sized businesses
— Ensure the restoration of stable and uninterrupted operation of second-tier banks and other financial organizations after stabilization.
— Take measures to protect diplomatic missions, as well as subjects of foreign investment and the business of foreign companies.
— Ensure the maintenance of constant ties with foreign states, international organizations and other partners on all current issues of bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
In Kazakhstan, state regulation of prices for gasoline, diesel fuel and liquefied gas is being introduced for 180 days - government press service.
In Taraz, a branch of the Nur Otan party completely burned down, reports Sputnik Kazakhstan. At night, over a thousand protesters came to the central square of the city. The police used tear gas. During the riots, the building of the regional akimat was destroyed, smoke was visible on the upper floors, the publication writes. It is noted that due to an Internet outage in the city, it is not possible to publish photos and videos.
Kyrgyzstan is ready to “provide support to Kazakhstan and fulfill its obligations within the CSTO” - Interfax.
Clashes between protesters and security forces are reported in Pavlodar.
09:25 President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev replaced the head of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms - the position was taken by Aset Irgaliev, who previously headed the country's Ministry of Economy.
According to TASS, the military arrived at the square in front of the city hall in Almaty and began an operation to “clear” the square of protesters.
08:49TASS publishes morning footage from Almaty, where the military is conducting an anti-terrorist operation.
— Nigroll (@nigroll) January 6, 2022
The security forces are firing heavily at the radicals. pic.twitter.com/sKchPG6FCB
Almaty police reported that dozens of protesters were killed.
It is reported that the military lifted the cordon and left Republic Square in Almaty.
08:06Passengers on the Kostanay-Almaty flight spent the entire night at Nur-Sultan airport, reports Sputnik Kazakhstan.
According to one of the passengers, half an hour after takeoff from Kostanay, the pilot announced over the loudspeaker that the plane would land in Nur-Sultan, since Almaty airport does not accept flights. Having arrived in the capital, many passengers went to visit relatives and friends, but dozens of passengers from this flight still remain at the airport.
According to Vlast, in the center of Almaty, in the area of Abylai Khan Street, neither protesters nor military are visible. There is a strong burning smell in the city.
07:38Meanwhile, in Nur-Sultan, all administrative buildings are placed under tight security, and all flights to Moscow, Almaty, Semey, Petropavlovsk and Aktobe are canceled until 12 noon.
07:24 Military personnel in armored personnel carriers and armored vehicles encircled protesters in the center of Almaty, writes Sputnik Kazakhstan. It is reported that Republic Square, in the center of which there are about 200 armed people, was surrounded along the perimeter by 50 units of military equipment. There is a shootout.
Press Secretary of the National Bank of Kazakhstan Olzhas Ramazanov said that the work of all banks in the country, except the national one, as well as the stock exchange, has been temporarily suspended.
A secret plane from Nursultan landed in Dubai . The property of the Nazarbayev family and the ex-head of the National Security Committee Karim Masimov is located there. The latter was removed from his post shortly before the flight took off.
Columns of protesters marched through the streets of Almaty to storm the police department. Security forces warn about evacuation from the streets through loudspeakers - KazTAG.
It is reported that a “counter-terrorist operation” has begun in Almaty. The security forces returned to the city, shots and explosions were heard.
Chairman of the CSTO Collective Security Council and Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said that he was starting consultations on providing assistance to Kazakhstan.
“A few minutes ago, I had a telephone conversation with the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Considering the appeal of the President of Kazakhstan, who expects the CSTO’s support in overcoming the current situation, as Chairman of the CSTO Collective Security Council, I am beginning immediate consultations with the leaders of the organization’s member countries,” he wrote on his Facebook page.
President Tokayev replaced the head of the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan, and Ermek Sagimbayev was appointed as the new chairman. Instead, Saken Isabekov was appointed head of the state security service. Previously, he served as head of the Tokayev Security Service.
The vice-mayor of Almaty said that an anti-terrorist operation had begun in the city. There is no one at the airport, according to the KazTAG Telegram channel, one plane with passengers is standing on the airfield.
The State Duma stated that the Kremlin is obliged to respond to Tokayev’s request for “help with terrorists.” According to the head of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Leonid Kalashnikov, “if President Tokayev appeals, we are obliged to respond. Moreover, he stated that terrorist gangs are taking control of infrastructure facilities, and naturally, then certain forces will be brought in.” He reported this to Interfax.
22:06Tokayev said that he turned to the CSTO partners. “Relying on the collective security treaty, today I appealed to the heads of state of the CSTO to provide assistance to Kazakhstan in overcoming this terrorist threat. In fact, this is no longer a threat, it is undermining the integrity of the state and, most importantly, it is an attack on our citizens who are asking me, as the head of state, to urgently help them,” Tokayev said on the Khabar 24 TV channel.
According to him, such an appeal is appropriate and timely. Earlier, Major General of the Kazakh Air Force, the country's first cosmonaut, Toktar Aubakirov called on all members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization to send troops to the republic, since this “would not be superfluous.”
Moscow security forces responded to the protests in Kazakhstan. According to Baza, additional police squads have been deployed on Red Square, Chistye Prudy and Revolution Square. According to the publication, security forces were instructed to detain anyone who goes into the city center with any symbols of Kazakhstan; law enforcement officers have already detained several people who “look like Kazakhstanis.”
21:24The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan reported that during the protests in the country, 8 policemen and national guard soldiers were killed, and another 317 were injured. Earlier it was reported that at least four people died from gunshot wounds in Almaty and another in Atyrau. There are many injured protesters in hospitals.
21:08 Residents of the Mangistau region at a public gathering in Aktau decided to interrupt railway and air communications with the region in order to complicate the transfer of security forces. Representatives of the transport sector supported the residents; communication with the region was disrupted . A correspondent for Azattyk radio reported this to The Insider from the scene.
The airport in Aktobe, Kazakhstan, is closed, RIA Novosti reports with reference to Uzbekistan Airways.
A state of emergency has been introduced throughout Kazakhstan - Sputnik Kazakhstan.
According to unconfirmed reports, in Almaty, protesters seized the building of the local National Security Committee. Protesters gained access to the contents of the building's armory. Eyewitnesses report this.
The websites of the Security Council of Kazakhstan and Nazarbayev personally do not work.
19:02The building of the branch of the national state television channel "Kazakhstan" in Almaty is on fire, Kazakh media reported. According to them, no one is putting it out, there are no firefighters. Earlier it was reported that the building was destroyed by protesters.
18:55Clashes between protesters and security forces began in Pavlodar. Video: social networks.
18:34 The press service of Almaty International Airport confirmed its seizure by protesters. This was reported by the CTD Telegram channel. “There are now about 45 invaders at the airport,” the press service said. — When they entered, our employees left the airport. There were no passengers in the terminal at the time of the siege. We quickly evacuated the passengers in advance. The military left the airport, but we don’t know when they left.”
As the head of the Almaty bureau of Azattyk radio, Kasym Amanzhol, told The Insider, citing sources, there are many victims with bullet wounds in the Almaty City Emergency Hospital. “Three or four people died in the hospital from gunshot wounds,” says Amanjol.
In Almaty, protesters destroyed the office of the Nur Otan party.
In Almaty, protesters storm the Sairan bus station building, shooting is heard, Kazakh media report.
Protesters are trying to storm the building of the Auezovsky District Department of Internal Affairs in Almaty, reports Sputnik Kazakhstan. The police fire back on the roof of the building and use stun grenades.
The airport in Almaty has been captured, Kazakh media report. Employees are being evacuated. There is no official confirmation of this information yet.
17:38 Houses in the area of the presidential residence in Almaty are without power, RIA Novosti reports.
In Nur-Sultan, despite the protests, a hockey match of the Continental Hockey League is taking place. True, fans were not allowed to see it. “Representatives of the host side guaranteed the safety of the teams and players,” Interfax quoted the KHL press service as saying about the match between the local Barys and Magnitogorsk Metallurg.
In Aktau, Kazakhstan, police told protesters that they were with the people. After this, about 100 police went to the airport to escort the military who arrived in the city, Azattyk radio correspondent Sania Toiken told The Insider. Now, according to her, there are about 20 thousand protesters in Aktau on the square near the regional akimat. People are demanding the resignation of President Tokayev.
“The protesters are putting up yurts and tents and have made a platform,” says Toiken. — The police made statements that they had gone over to the side of the people, calming the protesters. After that, about 100 police went to the airport, picked up the military and brought them to the city. The people in the square are not armed, they are standing peacefully. SOBR in Aktau is armed, but is not approaching the people yet. People ask not to use force, they ask to go to the people.”
17:18 Public transport in Kazakhstan has been suspended until January 6.
Moscow has no information about the evacuation of Tokayev to Russia; the situation does not yet require such a step - source RIA Novosti.
The airport in Aktau has ceased operations, a representative of Air Astana told the Sputnik Kazakhstan Telegram channel. Flights from Nur-Sultan to this city have been cancelled. The airline did not give a reason for stopping airport operations.
Aeroflot begins to cancel flights to Kazakhstan amid protests.
The head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, called on the Kazakh people not to destroy the state and compared the events in Kazakhstan with the scenario of the beginning of military campaigns in Chechnya.
“We are not indifferent to the fate of Kazakhstan. My father was born there, my grandfather’s brother is buried there. Our brotherly Kazakh people sheltered us in the most difficult times. Because of gas prices, people came out: they destroy, they kill. Why destroy? Why behave aggressively? Beat the police. They commit crimes and for this they will receive punishment in the future,” Kadyrov said.
A cordon of police officers has been set up around the capital administration building in Nur-Sultan, a Sputnik Kazakhstan correspondent reports. Vehicle traffic on the streets around the building is prohibited. Residents of the capital cannot make cashless payments, so they withdraw money from ATMs en masse.
A protester was killed in Atyrau, Kazakhstan . He was shot by the police, a bullet hit him in the head. Radio Azattyk correspondent Sania Toiken reported this to The Insider.
The building of the Almaty Police Department was seized by rioters, several sources report to Orda.kz. Weapons were also seized. It has not yet been possible to confirm the information; there is no contact with the press service of the Almaty Democratic Party.
President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev made a video message and said that he would “act as harshly as possible.” In addition, he announced the removal of Nursultan Nazarbayev from his post , noting that he would head the Security Council, which Nazarbayev had previously led for life.
“As president, I am obliged to protect the safety and tranquility of our citizens and to worry about the integrity of Kazakhstan.
The measures I have taken are aimed at the well-being of multinational Kazakhstan.
But these measures are not yet sufficient. The high level of organization of the hooligan elements is noteworthy. This indicates a carefully thought-out plan of action by the conspirators, who are financially motivated. Precisely the conspirators.
Therefore, as head of state and from now on as chairman of the Security Council, I intend to act as harshly as possible. This is a matter of the safety of our citizens, who make numerous requests to me to protect their lives and the lives of their families. This is a question of the security of our state. I'm sure the people will support me.
Whatever it is, I will be in the capital. It is my constitutional duty to stand with the people. Together we will overcome this dark streak in the history of Kazakhstan. Let's come out of it strong.
Soon I will make new proposals for the political transformation of Kazakhstan. I remain in my previous position of consistent reforms."
In Balkhash, Kazakhstan, metallurgical plants stopped production. Metallurgists joined the protests.
President of Kazakhstan Tokayev will soon address the nation, Orda reports. This information is confirmed by the RIA Novosti source.
Editor of the online magazine “Vlast.kz” Dmitry Mazorenko in a conversation with The Insider:
“We currently do not have reliable information about President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Nursultan Nazarbayev. There are many rumors that they left the country. We can neither confirm nor deny them. The work is also complicated by the fact that we are in a situation where there is a complete lack of Internet in the country.
As for the victims, the situation is also difficult. All three services of the main departments and the Ministry of Health simply refuse to talk to journalists, saying that their employees are on vacation or on weekends.
It is difficult to say what is happening in the city now - a column of protesters was concentrated near the building of the city administration (akimat), our correspondent left there about 30 minutes ago, because the situation became simply life-threatening. We decided to observe the further development of events tomorrow, if the opportunity and the Internet arise,” Mazorenko said.
Protesters seized the building of the Mir24 TV channel's correspondent office and demanded a live broadcast.
Barricades have begun to be erected in Almaty, Mediazona reports.
Taxi drivers are raising prices four times to take people from Almaty airport to the city, TASS reports . The atmosphere at the airport is calm. There is currently no reinforcement along the perimeter of the air harbor. The airport is operational.
The Akimat in Almaty was destroyed, The Insider correspondent reports from the scene. The first floor of the building is on fire. People walk in crowds, moving towards Republic Square. Many shops are closed, and there are burnt-out cars on the streets. Weapons stores were also destroyed.
The operator Kazakhtelecom has turned off the Internet throughout the country. This was reported by GlobalCheck, a project to study and help bypass blocking in Russia and the CIS.
For the first time, the Kremlin commented on the events in Kazakhstan.
The Kazakh authorities are capable of independently coping with the situation in the country, the main thing is to avoid interference from external forces, said presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov.
In the city of Aktau, security forces went over to the side of the protesters. They went out to the square and declared that they could not go against the people.
Earlier, security forces in the Almaty region went over to the side of the protesters. Some members of the Special Rapid Reaction Unit (SOBR) joined the demonstrators. The videos appeared in Telegram channels. The footage shows that security forces are marching in the same column with the protesters.
Also, police officers in the city of Aktobe stated that they were “with the people” and refused to detain the protesters.
Protesters seized the Almaty residence of the head of Kazakhstan, TASS reports.
Almaty authorities commented on the protests and calculated the damage.
According to the commandant and head of the city police department, Kanata Taimerdenov, on the night of January 5, more than 120 cars were burned in the city, 120 shops, 180 food service outlets were smashed, order was broken, and more than 500 city residents were beaten, including 130 women and old people. ORDA reports this. Those burned also included 33 police cars, ambulances and fire trucks.
According to Taimerdenov, the city “has been subjected to new attacks by extremists and radicals.” “We call on those who took to the streets to disperse. Our main goal is to prevent further growth of the escalation of violence and radicalism,” the commandant added, asking residents and guests of the city not to leave their homes and not to give in to panic and provocations.
13:15Security forces in Atyrau began to go over to the side of the protesters pic.twitter.com/JwjPx1Zdm6
— The Insider (@the_ins_ru) January 5, 2022
A state of emergency has been declared in Nur-Sultan from January 5 to January 19. Earlier, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared a state of emergency in Almaty, Mangistau regions and Almaty.
Data vary about what is happening in the administration of the President of Kazakhstan. There are reports that the assault has already begun; according to other sources, thousands of protesters continue to arrive at the residence, but there are no signs of an active assault. The sound of gunfire can be heard near the residence.
13:04The forceful dispersal of demonstrators began in Atyrau, KazTAG reports. Earlier, thousands of people gathered in the central square of the city, emphasizing the peaceful nature of the action. pic.twitter.com/lvzFn2YUGE
— The Insider (@the_ins_ru) January 5, 2022
In Almaty, protesters are trying to break into the presidential residence, Vlast and KazTAG reports. The police are trying to push people back with stun grenades, and the sound of gunfire can be heard.
“There was an assault. They managed to get everyone out, some of the employees are working remotely,” said Deputy Akim of Almaty Erzhan Babakumarov.
The building of the city prosecutor's office is on fire in Almaty, reports Sputnik Kazakhstan.
The number of victims as a result of the clashes near the Almaty akimat has grown to dozens, KazTAG notes. According to some reports , there are already killed.
In the Almaty region, security forces are going over to the side of the protesters. Some members of the Special Rapid Reaction Unit (SOBR) joined the demonstrators. The videos appeared in Telegram channels. The footage shows that security forces are marching in the same column with the protesters.
They are also trying to take the city administration of the Aktobe region by storm. The police used tear gas. Ambulances arrived at the administration building. Before the assault, the protesters demanded that the regional akim, Ondasyn Orazalin, come to them, but the official did not appear. Riot police announced that he had gone over to the side of the people. Public transport has been suspended in the city.
A fire started in the Almaty administration building, which was stormed by protesters.
Protesters broke into the Almaty Akimat building, windows and doors were broken.
11:52Protesters in Almaty storm the city administration (akimat). Data on the number of protesters vary - from three to ten thousand. Security forces defend themselves with flash-noise grenades. https://t.co/txQAoKW5yk pic.twitter.com/oGS4KRmH7E
— The Insider (@the_ins_ru) January 5, 2022
Protesters in Almaty are attempting to storm the city hall, RIA Novosti reports.
11:30In Almaty, demonstrators pushed to the outskirts of the city are trying to return to the center. In the city center, security forces are using tear gas and stun grenades, Vlast journalists report. There is no connection in the city. pic.twitter.com/LMQrssxfoj
— The Insider (@the_ins_ru) January 5, 2022
The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that it is closely monitoring the development of the situation in Kazakhstan. There is no information about injured Russian citizens, TASS reports .
In Almaty, police opened fire on protesters with rubber bullets and stun grenades. Among the victims are employees of the information portal Orda.kz. Activists stood near the intersection of Baitursynov and Karasai-Batyr streets. Police officers in full uniform, with shields, stood on the roadway.
The protesters raised their hands and asked not to shoot at them, after which a flashbang grenade was fired in their direction.
11:10In Aktobe, Kazakhstan, protesters storm the local administration. Follow our broadcast on Telegram: https://t.co/XAFofcpG49 pic.twitter.com/PbzqJtGcO6
— CHTD (@Chtede) January 5, 2022
Protesters in Aktobe began storming the regional akimat. The video appeared on the Telegram channel “They’ve already left for us.” Several thousand people are trying to break into the administrative building.
Police officers in the Kazakh city of Aktobe said they were “with the people” and refused to detain protesters. There are 1,000 protesters outside the administration in Aktobe, burning fires to keep warm. Since yesterday, protesters have been demanding that the regional akim leave. The police are standing at the akimat, but are not pushing people away and are not making arrests.
11:00In Aktobe, riot police announced that they are on the side of the people
- Media zone. Central Asia (@mediazona_ca) January 5, 2022
Video: https://t.co/pHKrHFwEQc pic.twitter.com/TtbqnsFoD3
190 people went to Almaty hospitals, 40 were hospitalized, reports the Almaty Public Health Department. There are seven people in intensive care, four of them are police officers. In total, 137 police officers were among all the victims.
In Almaty, several groups of protesters are again moving into the city center. Explosions of stun grenades can be heard in the city center. At the intersection of Tole bi and Seifullin streets, protesters clash with the forces of the National Guard, which is trying to stop the advance towards the city center. Mobile Internet still does not work, instant messengers are blocked, most shops, cafes, and bank branches are closed in the city center, and public transport does not work.
01:00In Almaty, protesters forced military equipment to retreat. pic.twitter.com/nrAFefDAxV
— The Insider (@the_ins_ru) January 4, 2022
In Almaty, during the state of emergency, a curfew was introduced from 23:00 to 7:00. A commandant's office was created, headed by the chief of police, Taimerdenov, and restrictions were established on freedom of movement (including vehicles). Entry and exit from the city will also be limited.
The CSTO Collective Security Council, in accordance with Article 4 of the Collective Security Treaty, decided to send the CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces to the Republic of Kazakhstan for a limited period in order to stabilize and normalize the situation in this country, Nikol Pashinyan said.
The editor of the Kazakh online magazine “Vlast” Dmitry Mazorenko told The Insider about the progress of the protest in Almaty:
“We reached the akimat - the local city hall. People confidently moved there; there were, I think, at least 5 thousand people around the perimeter: along the neighboring streets and near the akimat itself. The police began using stun grenades and tear gas. Clashes with protesters began, most of the people moved away from the akimat building and then scattered: some people went to the old square - Astana Square - and others went here because the gas was spreading and the security forces were gradually moving them to this place. This is also an iconic place. The government of Kazakhstan under the Soviet Union was located here, now there is a university building and some branches of the local mayor's office. It's calm here for now.
Unfortunately, the protesters lack coordination. I think that people act impulsively and are not given any opportunity to somehow gather in one place.
The general mood is this: no one wants to listen to the authorities from here. The main goal here is to achieve Nazarbayev’s complete departure, his complete renunciation of power. The figure of the current President Tokayev can be considered by people as a consensus figure, but without the patronage of Nazarbayev.”00:10
In Almaty, security forces shoot at protesters. It's exactly 3 a.m. in the city.
00:00How Kazakh security forces shoot at protesters. pic.twitter.com/vcuttHy0p3
— April 10 (@buch10_04) January 4, 2022
The President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, against the backdrop of mass protests in the country, introduced a state of emergency in the Mangystau region and Almaty, which will last from 1:30 on January 5 until midnight on January 19. RIA Novosti reports this.
In Aktau, one of the protesters said that he asked Mukhtar Ablyazov, the former son-in-law of the ex-president of Kazakhstan and a person with a dubious reputation, to be involved in the protest. The second protester said that calling Ablyazov was a bad idea and that people came not for him, but for the future of their country.
Correspondent for Mediazona. Central Asia, who is currently working on protests in Almaty, reported that protesters attacked him while he was filming a pogrom of police cars.
An eyewitness told The Insider that mobile communications were turned off throughout the country; in Almaty, when protesters tried to enter the building of the akimat (local administration), security forces used force. In addition, as a KazTAG correspondent reports, at least four police cars burned down in the city, and one car exploded.
23:04 Journalist, political scientist and expert on Central Asia Arkady Dubnov, in a conversation with The Insider, emphasized that any Russian intervention in events in Kazakhstan will inevitably worsen relations between the countries:
“It’s better that Russia doesn’t stick its head out now. Its representatives have already spoiled Russian-Kazakh relations with their rhetoric quite a few times. Any Russian intervention in these protests, similar to its intervention in the Belarusian situation, will only worsen Russia’s position in the “big brother” status. This is an exclusively internal matter of the Kazakhs.
The former Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Akezhan Kazhegeldin, who led the Kazakh opposition for many years, spoke at Dozhd today. His participation more than 20 years ago in the presidential race with Nazarbayev led to him being declared a state criminal and forced to emigrate. Now he called on the Russian leadership not to try to support the current government, the first president of Kazakhstan, under any circumstances, otherwise this will lead to a more serious aggravation of Russian-Kazakh relations. The Kazakhs will not forgive if Moscow saves the person who led the country to such a crisis. In the future, this may worsen the attitude of the Kazakh electorate towards Russia, which will give rise to Russophobic sentiments to a much greater extent than Moscow today reproaches the Kazakh political elite for this.”22:39
Text version of the address of the President of Kazakhstan Tokayev to the protesters:
“Dear citizens, I want to say once again that information coming from outside and inside the country must be treated wisely and informed decisions must be made. All calls for the seizure or damage of buildings in which government facilities are located are a violation of the law. The state is not broken, but we need trust and dialogue.
I would like to tell young people separately that they should not ruin their future. Think about your loved ones and relatives. All legal demands and requests have been heard and will be implemented. All necessary meetings will be held. I believe in you."22:21
The editor of the Kazakh online magazine Vlast, Dmitry Mazorenko, told The Insider how protests began in Almaty, where police are now using stun grenades and tear gas:
“It all started with a rather harsh suppression of the protest, arrests took place in a terrible manner - people were literally pressed to the asphalt, sometimes dragged along it, some were severely beaten - even female activists were hit in the face. Just yesterday, a protest rally was held by the unregistered Democratic Party of Kazakhstan, led by its leader Zhanbolat Mamai. At the same time, 20 activists were detained in Almaty. This became a kind of beginning. Today the movements have continued and are localized in different places. One group was at the Park of the First President and numbered more than 100 people, another of undecided national patriots joined a little later.
Ideological differences faded into the background. More than a hundred people walked along one of the rather small streets called Mustafina. Gradually, the group scattered, and by the time of the arrests, about 70 people remained. They were met by SOBR at intersections. Some activists ran away immediately, others were detained. Another part of the protesters was allowed to leave, and she joined those who were on the other side of the city, in the Almaty Arena. There, the protest began with 50 people, but by four o’clock this group had grown first to several hundred, and by now to several thousand people, who represent a spontaneous procession.”22:13
An eyewitness told The Insider that security forces are using stun grenades and tear gas on Republic Square in Almaty, where about 10 thousand people have now gathered.
In Astana, the police came to journalist Makhambet Abzhan, who was broadcasting the protests. The journalist himself reported this on Telegram.
21:56 In Almaty, protesters are trying to break through to the central square, and military vehicles are also heading there. Explosions of stun grenades are heard.
The President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, against the backdrop of numerous protests, addressed the protesters with a statement in which he called on them “not to follow provocations from within and without.”
In Zhanaozen, where the first rallies broke out on January 2, protesters are setting up tents and yurts. Let us remind you that local time is 23:34.
21:2821:20In Kazakhstan, security officers kidnap protesters. The further fate of the people is unknown. pic.twitter.com/Qm6BOF1ny0
— Andy Schultz (@AAglush) January 4, 2022
The website of the independent publication Orda.kz has stopped opening in Kazakhstan. “We have every reason to believe that we have been blocked,” the publication said on Instagram. Orda.kz emphasizes that the reason for the blocking is unknown.
21:13In Astana, a SOBR officer tries to break out the window of a local resident's car.
Video: Telegram channel ABZHAN NEWS
21:03Most of the streets in Almaty are also blocked.
Photo: Telegram channel “Before everyone else. Well almost"
In Almaty, protesters march from the Almaty Arena to Republic Square. Thousands of people are reported to be taking part in the march.
20:48Look how beautiful it is
— Oles Filonenko 🤬 (@taxfreelt) January 4, 2022
In Almaty, a huge number of people march to Republic Square. pic.twitter.com/uwGTH53lnS
This is what the geography of protests looks like now.
