In a press conference today, the Chief Criminal Prosecutor of the Public Prosecutor's Office of Kazakhstan, Serik Shalbayev, announced the deaths of 225 people, including 19 security forces, during the riots in the country during the past period.

Shelbayev explained that 4578 people were injured during the riots, including 3393 security personnel.

According to the Kazakh official, 546 criminal cases linked to riots in the country were being investigated, adding that there were 44 cases of terrorism, 34 cases of riots and 19 other cases of murder.

According to the official, 672 persons suspected of crimes were detained in temporary detention centres, including 446 who were detained by court order.

It is noted that, early this year, Kazakhstan was swept away by a wave of protests, which began with economic demands, and turned into violent clashes with security forces in a number of areas, including Alma Ata, the country's largest city.