Kazakh Ex-Chief of National Security Committee arrested over treason
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National Security Committee of Kazakhstan announces launching probes against its former chief and two of his deputies in relation to possible treason and actions aimed at seizure of power.
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The Committee launched probes against Massimov and two of his deputies in relation to possible treason.
Kazakhstan's former Chief of National Security Committee, Karim Massimov, and his deputy Anuar Sadykulov, suspected of high treason and actions aimed at seizing power by force, were taken into custody, the committee told Sputnik on Thursday.
Earlier in January, the Committee said that Massimov and two of his deputies, Sadykulov and Daulet Yergozhin, were arrested and placed into a pre-trial detention facility.
The Committee launched probes in relation to possible treason and actions aimed at seizure of power.
"In relation to K.K. Massimov and A.T. Sadykulov, a restraint measure in the form of taking into custody was authorized. In relation to D.E. Yergozhin, a restraint measure is being considered," the Committee announced.
The materials of the criminal case were labeled as "highly classified". In accordance with the criminal procedure code, the data of the pre-trial investigation are not subject to disclosure.
This comes shortly after riots started in Kazakhstan in early January when thousands of demonstrators took to the street to protest against the surging gas prices in the Central Asian nation. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev then declared a state of emergency in the west of the country and Almaty.
The protests shortly took a violent turn, and President Tokayev appealed to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) for help in quelling protests across the country, which he said were led by "terrorist gangs".
No confrontations between CSTO and locals
The CSTO peacekeeping forces in Kazakhstan did not have any confrontations with local citizens, and they were acting within their legal framework, CSTO Secretary-General Stanislav Zas told Belarusian broadcaster Belarus 1 during an interview that aired on Saturday.
"Throughout this mission, there was not a single confrontation between peacekeepers and local residents," Zas assured.
"Everyone treated peacekeepers with understanding and tried to help," he added, highlighting that the peacekeeping forces will have completely withdrawn by January 19.
Less than a week after the protests began, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the mission of the Russian-led peacekeeping troops in Kazakhstan would soon come to an end.
Three days after President Putin's announcement, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that the first units of the Russian landing forces within the CSTO forces left Alma-Ata airport to their point of permanent deployment.
