The aftermath of the disturbances in Masanchi. Photo by Bagdat Asylbek, Fergana
Five people are currently in detention in relation to last month’s deadly disturbances in Korday district in southern Kazakhstan, Vlast.kz (in Russian) reports Deputy Prosecutor-General of Kazakhstan Dulat Dembayev as stating to journalists in the corridors of country’s parliament.
“Two for disorderly conduct, assault and failure to obey a police order. This has been widely reported on in the media. As for the rest: investigations into arson and murder are still ongoing. Arrests are still to be made. Because there is a huge amount of material to go through,” Dembayev said.
In response to journalists’ questions, he acknowledged that suspects “have not yet been identified”.
“Video material – everything is being reviewed. Once this is completed, decisions will be taken,” the deputy prosecutor-general said.
The disturbances in the Korday district of Kazakhstan’s southern Jambyl region – in an area with a large population of the country’s Dungan minority – began in the afternoon of 7 February. 11 people were killed and dozens injured in the events. More than 120 criminal cases have been opened, 11 of them for murder.
State agencies have hitherto refrained from revealing the exact number of people under arrest in connection with the investigations.
At a meeting with residents of Karakemer village during a visit to Korday district on 1 March, head of state Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared that the cause of the disturbances was a conflict between two criminal groups. This possibility had previously been raised by independent analysts.
