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In Kazakhstan, calm has returned after the bloody repression of peaceful protests on January 5 and 6 which broke into riots. Now that the toll of victims is up to 225 according to the latest official statistics, two versions confront each other. The authorities of the country speak of an ‘anti-terrorist’ operation while defenders of human rights denounce arbitrary arrests and total opacity on the part of the government.
Ten days after the repression of protests sparked by an increase in energy prices, confusion still abounds in Kazakhstan. The human toll is up to 225 deaths according to the latest count by Kazakh authorities, a dramatic increase on previous counts.
On one side, the government defends the version of an “anti-terrorist” intervention, on the other, inhabitants speak of fierce repression by the authorities. After the protests escalated, security forces were ordered to fire live ammunition. According to the official version, the central police station suffered 27 attacks by suspected terrorists.
>> (Re)read on France24.com : Kazakhstan: Did ‘anti-terrorist’ operation hide battle between political clans?
Some families are still looking for the bodies of their loved ones, who disappeared in early January. Since the events, several videos from inside the morgues have been circulating on the Internet, where the relatives of the protesters are trying to find their family members.
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