The president of Kazakhstan accepted the resignation of the country’s prime minister and Cabinet members Wednesday following an outbreak of anti-government protests in several cities.
The protests began Sunday after the price of liquefied petroleum gas more than doubled when the country lifted its price controls, CNN reported. In response, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev told his acting Cabinet and provincial governors to return to the price controls.
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“Attempts were made to attack akimats, smashing windows and doors and inflicting other material damage. In some cases, the crowd used stones, sticks, gas and pepper sprays, as well as incendiary bottles,” Kazakh Interior Ministry said in a statement, according to Russian news agency TASS.
The Interior Ministry estimates over 95 law enforcement officers were injured in the protests, and over 200 individuals have been detained.
NOW – Situation in #Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest metropolis, spirals out of control. The president imposes a curfew and deploys the military to quell the anti-government protests. pic.twitter.com/AZIsZlhEYd
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) January 4, 2022
Many protesters appeared frustrated with the increase in LPG prices because the country exports gas and oil, the New York Times reported. In an apparent response to the protests, Kazakhtelecom cut off internet access Wednesday.
Tokayev told the acting Cabinet to consider freezing utility bills, creating a bankruptcy law, and subsidizing rent for the poor, according to the Guardian. He also called for “socially important” goods, such as gasoline, to be included in the reestablished price controls.
Deputy Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov will serve as the interim prime minister, according to the president’s office. Tokayev also enacted a two-week state of emergency in the cities of Mangistau and Almaty in response to violent protests there.
Almaty, the country’s largest city, saw particularly tense protests. Nearly 10,000 protesters demonstrated outside of the city’s akimat, an administration building, CNN reported.
Old residence of President in #Almaty on fire after massive protest in #Kazakhstan. pic.twitter.com/4OtdrtUezy
— World Breaking (@World_Breaking_) January 5, 2022
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Dmitry Peskov, press secretary for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said it was important no outside parties interfere in Kazakhstan, according to Russian news agency RIA. Kazakhstan was a member of the Soviet Union before its collapse in 1991.
Russia is monitoring the situation and Kazakhstan has not requested its help in addressing the protests, a Russian source told the outlet.
