Kazakh Government Has No Intention Of Punishing Peaceful Protesters - Ambassador To US

Kazakh Government Has No Intention of Punishing Peaceful Protesters - Ambassador to US

The government of Kazakhstan will not punish peaceful protesters in the wake of the recent unrest, the Kazakh ambassador to the United States, Yerzhan Ashikbayev, said on Wednesday

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th January, 2022) The government of Kazakhstan will not punish peaceful protesters in the wake of the recent unrest, the Kazakh ambassador to the United States, Yerzhan Ashikbayev, said on Wednesday.

"It's important to know that the government has no intention to punish peaceful protesters whatsoever," Ashikbayev said. "The authorities will definitely ensure due process, respect for human rights and transparency and the rule of law."

Ashikbayev noted, citing official statistics, that 102 individuals are currently in custody, courts have considered 8,354 administrative cases, over 3,300 individuals have been issued warnings without any penalties imposed, while 1,600 others have been fined.

In early January, mass protests swept Kazakhstan after a twofold increase in gas prices. Despite the government's attempts to quell discontent and promises to bring prices down, protests turned violent and escalated into deadly clashes with police in several regions.

Nearly 1,000 people were injured, the United Nations said. According to the Kazakh Prosecutor General's Office, 4,578 people were injured and 225 people, including 19 security officials, were killed.

The Kazakh government said the protests had been hijacked by terrorist groups aided by foreign actors. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev invited Collective Security Treaty Organization peacekeeping forces to help bring the situation under control. The situation has since stabilized, and peacekeepers have departed.