Official Statement on the events in Kazakhstan by Mr. Erzhan Kazykhan, Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan for International Cooperation

Dear Compatriots,
Friends and Partners,
Kazakhstan has experienced unprecedented violence across
the country, which has had a dramatic impact on our people and
threaten to undermine the constitutional order and considered as
an assault on our statehood.
On January 2, 2022, peaceful demonstrations have been
started in western regions of Kazakhstan triggered by spike in the
price of liquefied petroleum gas.
Addressing public grievance over the inflation and overall
social and economic problems, the President has made the
decision to control petroleum price and essential products and
services.
In his January 4 statement, the President urged not to
succumb to internal and external provocations amid rallies against
increased gas prices. He called for mutual trust and dialogue
rather than conflict.
Regretfully, peaceful demonstrations in Almaty and some
other regions were hijacked by perpetrators and both local and
foreign terrorist groups.
Their criminal activities caused riots, looting, rape and mass
violence.
In view of the sharp aggravation of the situation, President
Tokayev has assumed the office of the Chair of the National
Security Council with immediate effect. He also declared the state
of emergency across the country.
Despite all these efforts the protest led to further escalation
of violence all over the country, triggering riots and attacks
against administrative buildings, military bases, and civil facilities,
seizure of the Almaty airport, local and foreign airplanes.
This shows the high level of preparedness and coordination
of the perpetrators.
No protest or demonstration in a democratic society can
justify the attacks and killings of law enforcement officers.

2

According to the latest data, 18 law enforcement officers
were killed by extremists and terrorists. More than 700 police
officers, military personnel, and 1,000 civilians were injured and
hospitalized.
Those, who name the extremists to be part of peaceful
protestors, may they know that two of young soldiers were
beheaded staying on their knees.
They also attacked first responders, including medical
emergency teams and firefighters.
I would like to express my sincere condolences to the
parents and families of those who were killed in deterring this
hyenas attack.
Peacekeeping troops comprising of multinational forces of
the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member
states were deployed and will remain for a short period of time
until the stabilization of the situation in Kazakhstan.
The legal framework for deployment of collective
peacekeeping forces is based on Articles 2 and 4 of the «Treaty
on Collective Security», the «Agreement on Peacekeeping
Activities», and military assistance requested by Kazakhstan.
The peacekeeping troops are not involved in the elimination
of militant groups and terrorists. Their main tasks are protection of
strategic sites and administrative buildings.
***

The story that run this week in foreign media, leaves the
readers with falls impressions that Kazakhstan government has
been targeting peaceful protestors. Our security forces have been
engaging violent mobs who were committing brazen acts of terror.
Given the volume of misinformation and the rapidly evolving
situation in Kazakhstan, let us not to jump into conclusions and
allow a full investigation to reveal the truth on the ground.
The Republic of Kazakhstan has repeatedly expressed its
commitment to the rule of law. All actions taken or supported are
and will be in accordance with our Constitution, our laws, and our
international commitments.