Kazakhstan Detains Former Security Chief

Moscow Times/AFP: Kazakhstan Detains Ex-Security Chief on Suspicion of Treason

The former head of Kazakhstan's domestic security agency has been detained on suspicion of treason, the agency said Saturday, after he was fired amid unprecedented unrest.

The detention of Karim Masimov, a former prime minister and longtime ally of Kazakhstan's ex-leader Nursultan Nazarbayev, was the first major move against a top official in the biggest crisis the ex-Soviet Central Asian republic has faced in years.

Nazarbayev's spokesman meanwhile denied rumors the ex-president had left the country and said he was urging Kazakhs to rally around the government.

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WNU Editor: The Kazakh government needs to blame someone for what is happening. But I doubt that making the ex-security chief be the "fall-guy" is going to work. The anger at the government is clearly there, and we all learned this week that it crosses all segments

of the population.

Kazakhstan Detains Former Security Chief

Kazakhstan unrest: Ex-intelligence chief arrested for treason -- BBC

Former anti-terror chief arrested over Kazakhstan protests -- AP

Kazakhstan arrests ex-intelligence agency chief for treason -- DW

Kazakhstan's ex-security chief Karim Massimov arrested for treason amid violent unrest -- ABC News Australia

Kazakhstan detains former national security chief on suspicion of treason -- The Guardian

Ex-Kazakh security chief arrested on suspicion of 'high treason' -- RT

Top security official is detained as protest-roiled Kazakhstan settles into edgy calm -- Washington Post