Kazakhstan Elects New Leader As Hundreds Arrested in Protests
Kazakhstan has elected interim leader Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the hand-picked successor of long-term former president Nursultan Nazarbayev, with around 70 percent of the vote, exit polls showed.
The government-approved "Public Opinion" pollster on Sunday gave Tokayev, 66, a career diplomat and interim president, 70 percent of the vote while his closest rival Amirzhan Kosanov got 15 percent.
Preliminary results were expected early on Monday, Al Jazeera reports.
The exit poll came as hundreds of people were arrested in rare protests in capital Nur-Sultan and the country's main commercial city, Almaty, in the Muslim-majority country.
The protesters were calling for a boycott of the snap election, which they allege was staged to put in office a politician loyal to Nazarbayev, who resigned in March.
The build-up to the vote saw an intensifying crackdown on the opposition with courts sentencing protesters to short stays in jail and police raiding activists' homes.
The interior ministry said around 500 people were arrested on Sunday, with deputy minister Marat Kozhayev blaming "radical elements" for holding "unsanctioned" rallies.
Protesters shouted "shame, shame, shame!" and said "police, come to the side of the people" as officers moved in on the crowd.
A number of journalists were also arrested, as was a representative of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee rights NGO. They were all later released.
-
17:08
The regular session of the Anti-corruption Policy Council takes place in Jermuk
-
15:05
The Prime Minister sends congratulatory messages to the supreme leader of Iran and the President of Iran
-
11:11
Armenia sends earthquake aid to Turkey
-
10:43
Commemoration of the Pontiff St. Sahak Partev
-
09:16
Some roads are closed and difficult to pass in Armenia
-
19:55
Phone conversation of the Foreign Minister of Armenia with the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs
-
18:30
Prime Minister Pashinyan and President Khachaturyan meet
-
18:20
Ararat Mirzoyan with Co-Chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group of France Brice Roquefeuil
-
17:01
Humans could land on Mars within 10 years, Musk predicts
-
16:45
France, US urge 'immediate' end to Nagorno Karabakh blockade
-
16:01
Blockaded Nagorno Karabakh launches fundraiser to support quake-hit Syria
-
15:59
Earthquake death toll in Turkey rises to 18,342
-
15:43
Ararat Mirzoyan Held a Telephone Conversation with Sergey Lavrov
-
15:06
French president rules out fighter jet supplies to Ukraine in near future
-
14:47
5 Day Weather Forecast in Armenia
-
14:44
President Vahagn Khachaturyan wrote a note in the book of condolences opened in the Embassy of Syria in Armenia
-
14:20
Azerbaijan’s provocations impede establishment of peace and stability – Armenian FM tells Russian Co-Chair of OSCE MG
-
12:57
France representation to OSCE: Paris calls on Azerbaijan to restore freedom of movement through Lachin corridor
-
11:40
Command of Kosovo forces highly appreciated preparation of Armenian peacekeepers
-
10:16
The United States withdrew from sanctions against Syria for six months the provision of assistance after the earthquake
day
week
month
Humidity: 25%
Wind: 1.03 km/h