2018–2020 Kazakh protests

2018–2020 Kazakh protests
2018–2020 Kazakh protests
Part of Kazakh democracy movement
Date	10 May 2018 – 1 March 2020 (1 year, 9 months, 2 weeks and 6 days)
Location	Kazakhstan
Caused by	Corruption; Inflation; Political repression; Electoral fraud; Kleptocracy; Authoritarianism; Police brutality; Human rights violations; Opposition to Presidents Nursultan Nazarbayev and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev;
Goals	Transition towards parliamentary republic; Resignation of Nursultan Nazarbayev from the Security Council; Resignation of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and the government; Democratic transition; Release of political prisoners; Cancellation of the nuclear power plants construction;
Methods	Demonstrations; Online activism;
Status	Ongoing
Concessions	Dismissal of Sagintayev's government; Resignation of President Nursultan Nazarbayev; Increased social benefits; Release of some protest detainees and political prisoners; Reduced restrictions on authorized rallies;
Parties
Opposition: Democratic Choice; Democratic Party; Oyan, Qazaqstan; Respublika; Erkindik Kanaty; Jusan Party; FreeKazakhs; Mother's Association;	Government: Security Council; National Security Committee; Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan; State Security Service of Kazakhstan; Ministry of Internal Affairs Police; Military Police; ;
Lead figures
	Mukhtar Ablyazov; Janara Ahmetova; Erjan Turgumbai; Janbolat Mamai; Bella Orynbetova; Aidos Sadykov; Gani Stambek Nursultan Nazarbayev; Kassym-Jomart Tokayev; Askar Mamin; Nurtai Abykayev; Kalmukhanbet Kassymov; Mäulen Äşimbaev; Dariga Nazarbayeva; Bektas Beknazarov; Nurlan Nigmatulin; Adilbek Zhaksybekov; Erbolat Dosaev; Kairat Kelimbetov; Umirzak Shukeyev; Sauat Mynbayev; Mukhtar Tleuberdi; Aslan Musin; Askar Zhumagaliyev; Imangali Tasmagambetov; Nurlan Yermekbayev; Murat Bektanov; Murat Maikeyev; Saken Zhasuzakov; Mukhtar Altynbayev; Asset Issekeshev; Murat Beketayev; Altai Kólginov; Bakhytzhan Sagintayev; Daniyal Akhmetov; Karim Massimov; Marat Khusainov; Erlan Turgymbaev Gabit Bayanov

The 2018–2020 Kazakh protests were a series of civil protests that took place in cities across Kazakhstan, commencing in May 2018 and gaining traction after a fire in Nur-Sultan (formerly named Astana) killed five children in February 2019. Some commentators attribute President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev's decision to dismiss the government of Prime Minister Bakhytzhan Sagintayev later that month in part to the protests. Nazarbayev later himself resigned on 19 March 2019 and was replaced as president by Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the speaker of the upper house of parliament. Nazarbayev continued to hold several political positions. Tokayev called a snap election, the 2019 Kazakh presidential election, which saw him elected with over 70% of the vote. Both the run-up to and the aftermath of the election saw further protests.

Protests continued to be reported in the rest of the year, including protests marking Independence Day in Nur-Sultan and Almaty on 16 December. Public rallies that have not been permitted by the government are illegal in Kazakhstan, although Tokayev has stated he intends to liberalize the laws governing public protests.

A public poll released in October suggested that a plurality of Kazakhs, 43%, viewed public demonstrations positively, with 16% expressing a negative view and another 41% not expressing an opinion.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.