Speaking to journalists connected Thursday successful New York, the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric, said the Organization continues to travel the concern “very closely.”
Mr. Dujarric confirmed respective contacts betwixt the UN and the authorities successful the country, including a telephone connected Thursday greeting betwixt Special Representative Natalia Gherman and the Deputy Foreign Minister, Mukhtar Tileuberdi.
During these exchanges, appeals to workout restraint, refrain from unit and beforehand dialog to code the situation, were reiterated by Ms. Gurman, successful behalf of the Secretary-General.
Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Central Asia, Natalia Gherman, by UN Photo/Kim Haughton
Dozens of victims
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, besides urged everyone, including information forces, protesters and others, to refrain from unit and to question a peaceful resolution.
In a statement, she said that a constabulary spokesperson successful the main city, Almaty, reported that information forces had killed dozens of protesters. In addition, astir 1,000 radical person reportedly been injured successful the protests.
According to quality agencies, protests began connected Sunday erstwhile the authorities lifted its terms headdress connected LPG, oregon liquified petroleum gas, which galore usage for their cars and heating, but the unrest has since dispersed to see longstanding governmental grievances.
The Interior Ministry informed that 12 instrumentality enforcement officers person died successful the unrest and 317 constabulary officers and members of the National Guard person been injured.
“International instrumentality is clear: radical person the close to peaceful protestation and state of expression. At the aforesaid time, protesters, nary substance however aggravated oregon aggrieved they whitethorn be, should not edifice to unit against others,” Ms. Bachelet said.
Riot constabulary allegedly utilized teardrop state and flashbang grenades successful clashes with demonstrators successful Almaty. At the aforesaid time, protesters seized immoderate authorities buildings, mounting them connected fire, and attempted to tempest constabulary stations.
Ms. Bachelet besides pointed to reports that, connected 6 January, aggravated shooting erupted betwixt the subject and equipped individuals successful beforehand of Almaty metropolis hall.
The High Commissioner reminded the Kazakh authorities that unit indispensable beryllium employed taxable to strict requirements of necessity and proportionality.
State of emergency
A authorities of exigency declared successful respective areas connected 5 January, including successful the main metropolis of Almaty and the capital, Nur-Sultan, has present been extended to the full country.
The decision, including a curfew from 11pm to 7am, called for restrictions to stay successful spot until astatine slightest 19 January.
Ms. Bachelet said that States person the close to state states of exigency but added that “any derogation of quality rights is taxable to strict requirements of necessity and proportionality.”
“Certain rights, including the close to life, the prohibition against torture and different ill-treatment, and the close not to beryllium arbitrarily detained, proceed to use successful each circumstances,” she said.
Kazakh authorities connected Wednesday requested information forces to beryllium sent to the state nether the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a determination information pact that includes Russia, Belarus, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia.
Detentions
Kazakh officials person besides informed that much than 2,000 radical person been taken into constabulary custody.
Ms. Bachelet called for each those arrested and detained solely for exercising their rights to peaceful protestation and state of expression, to beryllium released. She stressed that each allegations of quality rights violations should beryllium “promptly, independently and thoroughly investigated.”
Since Sunday, Internet services person been importantly disrupted, progressing to a implicit shutdown.
For the High Commissioner, shutting down the Internet “is not the reply to a situation but risks fueling the unit and unrest.”
She urged the authorities to guarantee Internet services, which are captious for exigency wellness services during the COVID-19 pandemic, to beryllium “immediately and wholly restored.”
In caller days, the Kazakh Government has said it hopes to person an inclusive and constructive dialog with protesters.
Ms. Bachelet said it was present clip to “take each steps” to marque definite this dialog happens and to respect and support quality rights during the authorities of exigency and beyond.
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