Pope: Dialogue, justice needed to end unrest in Kazakhstan

Pope Francis recommended dialogue and justice in his call on Sunday to end violence in Kazakhstan, where dozens of people were killed last week, Reuters reported. 

In his Sunday address at St. Peters Square, Pope Francis said he will pray for the families involved in the current crisis.

“I have learned with sorrow that there have been victims during the protests that have broken out in recent days in Kazakhstan,” Pope Francis said.  

“I pray for them and for their families, and I hope that social harmony will be restored as soon as possible through the search for dialogue, justice and the common good,” Francis added. 

Kazakhstan’s Health Ministry confirmed that 164 people including two children were killed last week, according to a Russian news agency. 

Kazakhstan authorities said they have stabilized the situation over the weekend following the county’s deadliest outbreak of violence in decades, with the help of Russian reinforcements.

Protests first broke out in Kazakhstan in response to a sharp increase in liquified natural gas prices earlier in the week, and rapidly grew to become mass opposition against former Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who until the protests was serving as head of the country’s powerful Security Council.

Tokayev dismissed Nazarbayev from his post on Wednesday to tame the protests. Tokayev’s Cabinet also resigned.