The number of people killed in the violent protests that have taken place in Kazakhstan in recent weeks has reached 225. The last official count recorded 164 deaths. The update was released this Saturday (15/01) by the country’s Attorney General.
Among the dead, according to official information, are “armed bandits” who participated in attacks on official buildings and law enforcement officers, in addition to 19 police, military and civilians. The statements were given at a press conference by Serik Shalabaev, head of the Criminal Prosecution Service at the Kazakhstan Attorney General’s office.
Shalabaev also said that so far, “4,353 people have been injured, including 3,393 members of the security forces.”
Kazakh President Kasim-Yomart Tokayev wrote on Twitter that during “the tragic events of January” – which began on 02/01 due to the increase in the price of liquefied gas, used in the country as a cheap alternative to oil – and the consequent state of emergency, “about 2,000 people were arrested for various crimes”.
Kazakh officials justified the decision to suppress the protests with the use of force due to the alleged presence of 20,000 insurgents, international terrorists and armed bandits who, according to Tokayev, tried to stage a coup d’état. The president has not yet been able to provide evidence of the statements.
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