NUR-SULTAN, January 5. / TASS /. Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has declared a state of emergency in the Almaty Region on January 5, the press service said on Wednesday.
"Amid a serious and immediate threat to the safety of citizens, in order to ensure public safety, restore law and order, protect the rights and freedoms of people, a state of emergency is introduced in the Almaty Region from January 5 to 19. A curfew <…> from 23:00 to 7:00 local time (from 20:00 to 04:00 Moscow Time) is also in effect," according to the president’s decree.
For this period, a commandant’s office is going to be established in the Almaty Region. "The restriction on freedom of movement <…> will be imposed. <…> The entry and exit from the Almaty Region will be restricted. The organization and holding of peaceful gatherings, entertainment, sport and other mass events is banned," the statement reads.
Furthermore, the sale of weapons, ammunition, explosives, special means and poisonous substances will be prohibited. Some special conditions will be applied for the circulation of medication, narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and alcohol.
On January 2, crowds took to the streets in the cities of Zhanaozen and Aktau in the Mangistau region, protesting against high fuel prices. Two days later, the protests engulfed Almaty, where the police used flashbangs to disperse the crowd, as well as other cities, including Atyrau, Aktobe, Uralsk, Taraz, Shymkent, Kyzylorda, Karaganda and even Kazakhstan’s capital Nur-Sultan. The president imposed a two-week state of emergency and a curfew in the country’s largest city of Almaty and the southwestern Mangistau Province early on Wednesday. The head of the state also accepted the government’s resignation. Its members will continue to perform their tasks until a new cabinet is formed.