In Kazakhstan, protests against rising gas prices resumed overnight. Law enforcement officers in Aktobe and Almaty refused to detain the protesters. There, police officers, who block the approaches to the administration building, declared their solidarity with the demonstrators. Part of the law enforcement officers move to the city center together with the protesters.
This morning, January 5, the akimat (regional executive body in Kazakhstan) was captured in Almaty.
The chairman of the regional council of Almaty, Maksym Baryshev, asked employers not to call employees unnecessarily, and citizens not to leave their homes on January 5 and 6.
Against the background of mass protests, the government of Kazakhstan resigned. President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev signed the decree on this this morning, blaming the government for "allowing a protest situation." In addition, the director of the plant who raised gas prices was arrested.
In other cities, people also take to the streets after night clashes. Those protesting in Semipalatinsk are already headed to the local administration - the akimat. People's elections and the return of the 1993 Constitution are demanded in Zhanaozen. In Taraz, the regional akimat is guarded by special forces and armored vehicles. At the same time, the police in Aktobe said that they are completely with the people and will not shoot at people.
Also today, the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokaev, introduced a number of additional mandates to stabilize the situation. He canceled for 180 days the price increase from 60 (3,76 hryvnias) to 120 tenge (7,36 hryvnias) per liter of gas and instructed to consider the necessity of introducing a moratorium on the increase of utility tariffs for the population.
At the same time, the protesters put forward a number of other demands.
