Jeltoqsan

The Scheltoksan unrest found in December 1986 in the Soviet cities Alma-Ata and Karaganda, both located in present-day Kazakhstan, instead.

In December 1986, Dinmuchamed Kunajew, the longtime first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan and also member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, relieved in the Kazakh Soviet Republic owing to irregularities in his office. The following month he resigned also from the Politburo in Moscow. Kunajew Kazakh and was popular among the people. He was replaced by Russians, the party official Gennady Kolbin.

In protest over the dismissal of Kunajew resulted from 17 to December 19, 1986 spontaneous protest actions in Alma- Ata, which injured, deaths and numerous arrests moved to yourself.

In Karaganda gathered on December 19, 80 to 120 students, and the next day again about 300, to protest against the dismissal of Kunajew. As a result, five students were arrested and 54 suspended from the study.

The events of December 1986 are now seen as the origin of the state independence of Kazakhstan. The term Scheltoksan is the Kazakh word for December.