In Kazakhstan, 2022 began with nationwide protests that were showcased internationally as a spontaneous mass demonstration against an authoritarian Russian supported state government. What began with a mass demonstration against rising fuel prices in a small town led to a nationwide movement. This occurs a few years after another mass demonstration led to the resignation of Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev, who had ruled Kazakhstan for nearly thirty years. While the protests started as a reaction to the state’s unwillingness to protect its workers, it has now been displayed as a call for less state intervention.
5. Protests
Protests began on 2 January 2022, after the Liquified Natural Gas price, after the public subsidy was cut, doubled. Protests began in the West Kazakhstani town of Zhanaozen and spread across the country within a day.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced that he was looking into the matter. Tokayev said that his government would launch a full investigation into price-fixing cartels. However, the protests escalated on 4 January with violent clashes with law enforcement officers in many towns.
The authorities insist that prices were determined by electronic systems, and hence reflected market prices. The government promised to bring down the LNG prices. Protests continued for over a week, leading to nearly 200 deaths and 8,000 arrests. The Russian government sent in peacekeeping troops to help the Kazakhstani state restore order.
10 January was declared a day of mourning by the Government for those who lost their lives in the protests.
