Kasachstan

EU foreign ministers will this week discuss possible measures to respond to the crackdown against anti-government protests in Kazakhstan over the past week, a French minister said on Sunday (9 January).

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Monday that his country had weathered an attempted coup coordinated by what he called “a single center” after the most violent unrest since the former Soviet Republic gained independence.

Russia sent paratroopers into Kazakhstan on Thursday to help put down a countrywide uprising after deadly violence spread across the tightly controlled former Soviet state.

Security forces in Kazakhstan say they have killed dozens of anti-government rioters in an operation to restore order in the main city, Almaty. They moved in after protesters tried to take control of police stations in the city, a police spokeswoman said.

President appoints acting prime minister after earlier declaring a state of emergency to tackle widespread demonstrations over rising fuel prices.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a decree “On further measures of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of human rights”, which he said represents an important step in the political modernisation of the Central Asian country.

People have taken to the streets in cities and town across Kazakhstan to press for democratic reforms.

Kazakhstan’s ruling party has cemented its grip on parliament in the opposition-free election, officials said on Monday. … The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe said in a statement that “an uncompetitive campaign and systemic de-facto limitations on constitutionally guaranteed fundamental freedoms left voters without genuine choice”.

The Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan has completed the accreditation of observers of international organisations and foreign states for the 10 January elections, media in the Central Asian nation reported. … Kazakh authorities and commentators previously said the COVID-19 pandemic should not be an obstacle for holding the election, which is expected to further advance the soft democratic reform process currently ongoing in the Central Asian country.

The All-National Social Democratic Party of Kazakhstan (OSDP), which bills itself as an opposition group, has announced that it will boycott the upcoming parliamentary elections. … The Kazakh government has said six registered political parties will take part in the elections. The parties include the ruling Nur Otan, four pro-government parties -- Aq Zhol, Auyl, Birlik, and the Communist People's Party -- and the OSDP.