BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan. 10
Trend:
Over 1,500 people were have been detained in Kazakhstan for violation of the state of emergency, the operational headquarters said during a meeting held by the country’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Trend reports on Jan. 10.
The president was informed that law enforcement agencies and the Armed Forces are taking active measures to further stabilize the situation in the country.
In order to check persons and vehicles, as well as to control strategic objects along the perimeters of settlements, 93 checkpoints were set up.
Besides, Tokayev was informed that the facts of disobeying the legal requirements of the law enforcement officers and attacks on especially important and strategic objects are being strictly suppressed. In Almaty, 207 people were detained during the development of the "Barlyk" and "Altyn Orda" markets, and five stolen cars, weapons, ammunition, shields were confiscated from them.
In the capital Nur-Sultan, preventive measures are being taken, during which yard and door-to-door rounds, as well as round-the-clock auto-patrolling are provided.
Kazakhstan's government announced late Jan. 4 that it was restoring some price caps on liquefied petroleum gas, after the rare protests reached Almaty following a sharp rise in the price of the fuel at the start of the year.
Many Kazakhs have converted their cars to run on LPG, which is far cheaper than gasoline as a vehicle fuel in Kazakhstan because of price caps. But the government argued that the low price was unsustainable and lifted the caps on Jan. 1.
After the price of the fuel spiked, big demonstrations erupted on Jan. 2 in certain parts of the country. Public protests are illegal in the country unless their organizers file a notice in advance.
Following the development of the situation, the government declared a state of emergency all over the country. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said the government initiated anti-terrorist operations to deal with the ongoing riots.
Also, the divisions of the united peacekeeping contingent of CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization) arrived in Kazakhstan to assist in restoring order and help protect strategic objects of the country.