Kazakhstan detains ex-defense minister over January unrest

NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan

Authorities in Kazakhstan detained the former defense minister following deadly unrest that swept the country last month, the office of the country’s prosecutor general announced on Monday.

Murat Bektanov was detained after prosecutors launched a probe against him for failing to fulfill his duties during violent unrest in January, the office said in a statement.

He is reportedly in pretrial detention in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan’s capital.

Bektanov – who was appointed to the post on Aug. 31 last year – was relieved of his duties by a presidential decree on Jan. 19, with Ruslan Zhaksylykov replacing him as the new defense minister.

On Jan. 2, massive protests broke out in Kazakhstan over fuel price rises and later escalated into clashes with police, with the most violent incidents taking place in Kazakhstan’s former capital and largest city Almaty.

Tokayev turned to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a Russian-led military bloc, for help, and peacekeepers from Russia, Belarus, Armenia, and Tajikistan came to the country and backed Kazakh law enforcement in restoring order.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz

NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan

Authorities in Kazakhstan detained the former defense minister following deadly unrest that swept the country last month, the office of the country’s prosecutor general announced on Monday.

Murat Bektanov was detained after prosecutors launched a probe against him for failing to fulfill his duties during violent unrest in January, the office said in a statement.

He is reportedly in pretrial detention in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan’s capital.

Bektanov – who was appointed to the post on Aug. 31 last year – was relieved of his duties by a presidential decree on Jan. 19, with Ruslan Zhaksylykov replacing him as the new defense minister.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz