The former head of Kazakhstan’s Committee of the National Security (KNB) Karim Masimov has been accused of a violent attempt of coup d’état, according to the KNB’s press service.
The KNB has been conducting a pre-trial investigation into state treason – the main accusation against the former head of the agency Karim Masimov. Moreover, as some media reported, Masimov is also accused of abuse of official authority and actions aimed at a violent seizure of power in the country.
Similar charges have also been brought against two deputies of ex-chairman of the KNB – Anuar Sadykulov, head of the Secret Service «A» and Daulet Ergozhin, deputy head of the agency. Both of them have been detained on the same day as Karim Masimov.
On January 6, the Akorda (the official office of the president of Kazakhstan) press service announced that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev discharged Masimov from office and appointed Ermek Sagimbayev as the new chief of the KNB.
On January 8, the agency reported that Karim Masimov was arrested and charged with treason. If a court decides he is guilty, he may face a sentence of 10 to 15 years in prison with possible revocation of citizenship. Currently, the ex-head of the Kazakhstan intelligence is waiting for his trial behind bars in a pre-trial detention center of KNB.
Two times over 2007-2012 and 2014-2016 Karim Masimov had served as Kazakhstan’s prime minister. Over the period 2003-2006, he also worked as an assistant to the former president Nursultan Nazarbayev.
