UN human rights chief accused of "one-sided" assessment of Kazakhstan's deadly riots
ASTANA. July 13 (Interfax) - The United Nations' human rights chief has made a "one-sided" assessment of the riots in Zhanaozen, Kazakhstan, in December last year that, according to official reports, claimed 17 lives and left more than 100 people injured, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
"In our view, the UN high commissioner for human rights, Ms. Navanethem Pillay, has made a one-sided assessment of the events in Zhanaozen, despite the exhaustive information made available to her during her meetings with Kazakh officials," ministry spokesman Altai Abibullayev said in a statement.
"It is well known that, during their investigations of the events in Zhanaozen and the open court trial, Kazakh law enforcement services strictly complied with the current legislation of the country. As one of the measures to ensure an objective investigation, international experts were invited, primarily from the United Nations, who had a chance to find out all circumstances of the matter on the ground," Abibullayev said.
Pillay had argued that there remained unanswered questions in the case and that an independent international inquiry was needed.
President Nursultan Nazarbayev imposed a state of emergency in Zhanaozen, a town in the Mangistau region, and its suburb of Shetpe after the riots. Zhanaozen was placed under curfew, patrolled by reinforced police details, and there were travel restrictions in place.