Dozens arrested during election protests in Kazakhstan

Dozens of people were arrested on Sunday in the Kazakh capital Nur-Sultan and the southern metropolis Almaty during rallies that called for a boycott of presidential elections being held across the Central Asian republic, media reported.

According to witnesses, some 300 protesters attended a demonstration in Almaty, Efe news quoted Kazakh news media as saying.

"The protesters shouted 'boycott' and 'shame.' The police arrested several dozen demonstrators," the witnesses said.

Police have cordoned off the area, and several videos and photos of the arrests have been uploaded to social media.

In the newly-renamed capital Nur-Sultan (formerly Astana), protesters gathered at the historic center and were dispersed by the police, who also arrested several dozen people.

Members of the OMON special police forces stood guard around the area.IANS