Kazakhstan detains former security chief for treason

Last updated Jan 9, 2022

The former head of Kazakhstan’s domestic intelligence agency has been detained on suspicion of high treason after he was fired amid violent protests.

The National Security Committee, said in a statement on Saturday that, “It’s former chief Karim Masimov, a close ally of Kazakhstan’s founding President Nursultan Nazarbayev was arrested on Thursday after it launched an investigation into charges of high treason.

“Masimov and unnamed others were placed in a temporary detention center and the committee has launched a pre-trial investigation.”

The former senior official was put into custody when violent protests sparked by fuel price hikes were rocking Kazakhstan and led to multiple deaths and many injuries.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said that, the constitutional order had been largely restored in the Central Asian country after days of stormy riots.

Kamila/Xinhua