© KEYSTONE/AP/Vladimir Tretyakov
The former head of Kazakhstan’s national security agency was arrested for treason, the agency said on Saturday. He had previously been sacked following the riots that rocked the country.
The National Security Committee (KNB) said its former director, Karim Massimov, was taken into custody on Thursday following the launch of an investigation for high treason.
“On January 6 of this year, the National Security Committee launched a preliminary investigation for high treason,” it said in a statement.
“On the same day, the former director of the KNB, Karim Massimov, suspected of having committed this crime, was arrested and placed in a pre-trial detention center with other people,” the statement continued.
A close ally of former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, former Prime Minister Karim Kajymkanouli Massimov, was dismissed from his post as head of the KNB this week following riots triggered by a rise in gas prices.
“Shoot to kill”
Kazakhstan, the largest country in Central Asia, is shaken by a protest that erupted in the provinces on Sunday before spreading to other cities and especially to Almaty, the economic capital, where the demonstrations turned into chaotic riots and murderous.
The head of state, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, on Friday authorized the security forces to “shoot to kill” in order to quell any rebellion and, with the support of Russia, ruled out negotiating with the demonstrators.
A contingent of Russian troops and other countries allied with Moscow arrived Thursday in Kazakhstan to support the power in place by protecting strategic buildings and supporting the police.
Faced with this situation, the US State Department on Friday authorized non-essential employees of the US consulate in Almaty to leave Kazakhstan.
“The department has approved the voluntary departure of non-essential US government employees from the Almaty Consulate General and family members of all employees” of that consulate, the State Department said in a statement.
