Almaty — The bodies of 225 people killed in the recent mayhem in Kazakhstan, including 19 members of security forces, have been taken to morgues across the country, the Prosecutor’s Office said Saturday.
The figures included civilians and armed “bandits” killed by security forces, Cerrick Sharabayev, head of criminal prosecution at the public prosecutor’s office, told the briefing.
He said he did not provide an accurate breakdown of the numbers and that the numbers may be updated later.
After soaring car fuel prices, fierce protests began this month in oil-producing Central Asian states. Victims provided by Sharabayev confirmed that violence was the most deadly in the country’s post-Soviet history.
According to Sharabayev, at the peak of January 5, 50,000 people across the former Soviet Republic were seen when crowds raided and set fire to government buildings, cars, banks and shops in several major cities. Participated in the riot.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokaev sought help from a Russian-led military block during the turmoil and set aside his predecessor Nursultan Nazarbayev in his former Patron by taking over the National Security Council.
After complaining about the beatings and torture of those detained in the aftermath, Tokaev ordered police to avoid ill-treatment on Saturday and told prosecutors to tolerate those who did not commit serious crimes.
By Olzhas Auyezov
follow