Police and gas price hike protesters in Almaty, Kazakhstan NUR-SULTAN, Jan 5 The General Prosecutor's Office of Kazakhstan, against the background of protests over the rise in prices for liquefied petroleum gas and the introduction of an emergency regime in this regard, called on the population of the republic to comply with the legal requirements of law enforcement agencies and provide them with assistance. «In order to ensure the rule of law, guided by Article 31 of the law» On the prosecutor's office, «we urge citizens to treat the events with understanding, to comply with the legal requirements of employees of the internal affairs bodies and authorized bodies, to provide them with the necessary assistance,» says the appeal of the Deputy Prosecutor General of the country Bulat Dembaev, posted on Wednesday on the website of the main supervisory authority. 
The President of Kazakhstan accepted the resignation of the government The representative of the Prosecutor General's Office urged citizens «not to disseminate information that does not correspond to reality, not to succumb to provocations and not to violate the state of emergency.» «Be guided by reliable information about the current situation in the country, posted on official sources,» he added. Dembaev explained the provisions of the law on the state of emergency and the punishment provided for their violation. So, disobeying a legal demand or order of a representative of the authorities, as well as leading a prohibited strike and obstructing the work of organizations during an emergency, threatens with imprisonment for up to two years. Dissemination of deliberately false information in an emergency is punishable by imprisonment from three to seven years. Intentional destruction or damage to weapons, ammunition, vehicles, military equipment or other military property committed in an emergency situation provides for imprisonment from 10 to 12 years. 15 and 30 days, respectively. At the same time, the commission of criminal or administrative offenses is an aggravating circumstance and entails stricter liability. In the early days of 2022, residents of the cities of Zhanaozen and Aktau in Mangistau Oblast (an oil-producing region in western Kazakhstan) protested against a two-fold increase in prices for liquefied petroleum gas. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed to form a government commission to consider the situation. On January 4, she announced that she was ready to fulfill the main demand of the protesters and reduce gas prices. 
The President of Kazakhstan introduced a state of emergency in the Almaty region However, the protests spread to other cities. In Alma-Ata, the largest city in the country, on the evening of January 4 and on the night of January 5, protesters clashed with the security forces, the police used gas and stun grenades. Tokayev urged people to show prudence and not succumb to provocations from inside and outside. He noted that calls to attack civilian and military offices are illegal. According to him, «the power will not fall,» but the country «does not need a conflict, but mutual trust and dialogue.» It provides for a curfew from 7.00 to 23.00, a ban on mass events and strikes, a ban on the sale of weapons, ammunition and alcohol, the confiscation of weapons and ammunition from people, and increased security of especially important facilities. Entry and exit from Alma-Ata is restricted, document checks, inspections of people and vehicles are prescribed. On the morning of January 5, Tokayev dismissed the government and said that the Cabinet was especially guilty for allowing a protest situation. The President noted the gradual rectification of the situation in Alma-Ata and the Mangistau region after the introduction of the state of emergency.
