Kazakhstan detains former national security chief on suspicion of treason

Karim Massimov, chairman of the National Security Council of Kazakhstan meets with Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan at Zhongnanhai in Beijing, China April 8, 2019. Kenzaburo Fukuhara/Pool via REUTERS

ALMATY (Reuters) - Authorities in Kazakhstan have detained Karim Massimov, the former head of the national security committee, on suspicion of treason, the security committee said on Saturday.

Massimov, who was fired this week as protests raged across the Central Asian country, was detained along with several other officials, the National Security Committee said in a statement. It did not name them or provide further details.