Nur-Sultan [Kazakhstan], January 8 (ANI/Sputnik): Karim Masimov, the former chief of Kazakhstan's National Security Committee, was taken into custody on treason charges, the committee said on Saturday.

The committee said that a pre-trial investigation was opened into him and unnamed others on Thursday on suspicion of high treason after the Central Asian nation was hit by violent protests.

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"The former committee chair, KK Masimov and others were arrested on the same day on suspicion of committing this crime and placed into a pre-trial detention facility," the statement read. (ANI/Sputnik)

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