Civic activists protest against the CSTO decision to send peacekeeping forces to Kazakhstan. The protest takes place in front of the building of Parliament in Bishkek. About 20 people participate in it.
«We gathered to protest, to influence the opinion of deputies. We are against the decision of the CSTO, because the forces of the organization can be used only in case of external aggression. What is happening in Kazakhstan is internal process. We think that Kyrgyzstan and other CSTO countries shouldn’t interfere,» Klara Sooronkulova said.
Mass protests in Kazakhstan began in the first days of January 2022. Residents of Zhanaozen and Aktau in Mangistau region opposed the sharp rise in prices for liquefied gas. Protests began in other cities of the republic. On January 4-5, clashes with security forces occurred in Almaty, the police used tear gas and stun grenades. The authorities turned off the Internet, and some TV channels temporarily stopped broadcasting.
The government resigned. The Chairman of the Security Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan was replaced, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev became a new chairman instead of Nursultan Nazarbayev.
The president declared a state of emergency in the country on January 5. On the night of January 6, the head of Kazakhstan held a meeting of the Security Council, at which he called the situation in the republic «undermining the integrity of the state». He said that he asked the CSTO for help «in overcoming the terrorist threat.» The CSTO Collective Security Council decided to send peacekeeping troops to Kazakhstan.
