President of Kazakhstan Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev introduced a state of emergency (PE) in Almaty and in the Mangystau region for two weeks – from January 5 to midnight on January 19 – due to protests. Reports about it TASS.
As follows from the document, the PE mode is introduced “due to the exacerbation of the situation in order to ensure public security, restoring the legality and law enforcement, protect the rights and freedoms of citizens.” It will act from 1:30 on January 5 until midnight January 19th.
January 2 in the Mangystau region of Kazakhstan on January 2, protests began against rising gas prices for cars. Motorists demanded to reduce the cost of liquefied fuel, which sharply increased from 60 to 120 tenge (from 10.1 to 20.3 rubles) per liter. In some cities, the protesters also called on the first president of the Republic of Nursultan Nazarbayev to leave politics.
On January 4, in the Square of the Republic in Alma-Ata, the clashes of protesters with security forces began, the unrest began in other cities of the country. Kazakhstan President Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev turned to the nation in Russian. He stated that the government would not fall, and called on compatriots to prudence. The president also called on citizens to not succumb to the provocation “inside and outside”, calling the calls of protesters absolutely illegal.