Tokáyev, in a speech to the nation, assured today that he had given that order to the agents, referring to the protesters as “armed bandits” and “terrorists.”
The NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) demanded this Friday from the Kazakh president, Kasim-Yomart Tokáyev, to immediately annul the order that the security forces “shoot to kill” and without prior notice against the protesters who have been leading major disturbances in the country for several days.
According HRW, this instruction violates Kazakhstan’s international obligations and the Police and Army must do everything possible to protect lives., using deadly force only as a last resort.
“Kazakhstan is in the midst of the most violent crisis since its independence and the world is watching to see if the government shows that it respects the basic human rights of its citizens,” said Letta Tayler, deputy director of Crisis and Conflicts of the organization.
According to Tayler, “It is crucial that the Kazakh authorities ensure that all security forces on the ground act to protect human lives and are held accountable if they do not.”
“This begins with the immediate cancellation of the order to ‘shoot to kill without warning’,” he insisted.
Tokáyev, in a speech to the nation, He assured today that he had given that order to the agents, referring to the protesters as “armed bandits” and “terrorists.”
The Kazakh president accuses foreign media and politicians of instigating protests which began after the announcement of a sharp rise in the price of liquefied gas for vehicles.
At least 26 protesters and 18 security officers have been killed and hundreds injured in the riots and clashes, while thousands of people have been detained.
HRW said video footage it has reviewed shows security forces firing bullets and at people in civilian garb apparently dead as a result of shooting.
The organization stressed that the Kazakh government must ensure that both its forces and those of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) countries that have been deployed in its territory comply with international standards on the use of force.
He also demanded the release of detained protesters who did not participate in the violence. and that “arbitrary charges of terrorism” be dropped against them. (I)
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