LYON (euronews) — Kazakhstan’s newly-elected president says some of those arrested during protests over Sunday’s vote were detained by mistake and will be released.

In an exclusive interview with Euronews, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said the government had got the message over the demonstrations. His words represent a significant development in a country that has long been criticised over its human rights record.

Tokayev spoke to Galina Polonskaya about the protests that dominated news headlines about the election.

Tokayev won a snap presidential election with 71% of the vote, according to the country’s election commission. He was the handpicked successor to 78-year-old president Nursultan Nazarbayev who unexpectedly resigned after nearly 30 years in office.