10 June

Police in Kazakhstan on Sunday detained hundreds of people who staged protests against what they said was an unfair presidential election.

The snap election was called after President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who had ruled the Central Asian country for nearly 30 years, resigned in March.

Interim President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev secured the backing of Nazarbayev, and is widely expected to win the election.

People dissatisfied with what appeared to be an uncompetitive election held rallies in the capital, Nur-Sultan, and the southern commercial city of Almaty. 

In the capital, security police cordoned off roads and forced demonstrators into police vehicles.

A witness told NHK that police grabbed the limbs of people who fell and carried them as if they were sheep.

The Interior Ministry said police had detained about 500 people for participating in the unauthorized rallies.

NHK