In Kazakhstan, Deputy Energy Minister Zhumabai Karagaev was detained on suspicion of involvement in an unjustified increase in gas prices, the Financial Monitoring Agency reported on Saturday. Earlier on the same day, it became known about the resignation of Karagaev.
“The investigative team of the territorial department of the Financial Monitoring Agency for the Mangistau region detained the Vice Minister of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan Zhumabay Karagaev, heads of electronic trading platforms and persons involved in the unjustified increase in prices for liquefied petroleum gas in the Mangistau region,” the agency’s website says. .
Karagaev, by court order, was taken into custody for two months. Additional information about the case of the deputy minister is not disclosed in the interests of the investigation, the report says.
On January 15, a message appeared on the website of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan about the dismissal of Karagaev from the post of vice minister of energy. Karagaev over the years headed a number of private companies in the Atyrau and Mangystau regions, worked in the structure of the Atyrau region akimat. He has held the post of Vice Minister of Energy since December 2019.
Earlier in Kazakhstan, two of his former deputies were detained in the case of the former head of the National Security Committee (KNB) Karim Massimov – the head of the Special Purpose Service “A” Anuar Sadykulov and Daulet Yergozhin.
Mass protests in Kazakhstan began in the cities of Zhanaozen and Aktau in the west of the country amid a doubling of prices for liquefied gas. By January 6, the protests had swept most of the country, their participants began to make political demands, including the resignation of the government. In some cities, demonstrations escalated into clashes with police, arson and looting. According to President Tokayev, the economic damage from the riots could amount to $2-3 billion. Until January 19, a state of emergency is in effect throughout the country.
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