Representatives of NGOs ask President Sadyr Japarov to meet with them to discuss a bill on NGOs as «foreign representatives» and a threat to society and the state. They sent a letter to the head of state.
Representatives of NGOs are upset that an unprecedented vilification of the sector is being carried out on certain prepared social media and by some deputies of the Parliament.
«Actions taken to restrict the activities of NGOs, the adoption of discriminatory laws directed against this sector, affect the reputation of the state on the world stage.
Tens of thousands of people are involved as volunteers in organizations to provide socially beneficial activities for various categories of citizens of the country, communities and state. Achievement of the SDGs directly depends on the role of civil society in Kyrgyzstan as government implementing and development partners,» the letter says.
It is noted that Kyrgyzstan has a well-deserved reputation as one of the most progressive countries in Central Asia and Eurasia in matters of ensuring and protecting fundamental human rights and freedoms, creating legal conditions where civil society assists the Parliament, the President and the Cabinet of Ministers in implementing their main mission — improving living conditions of citizens.
«Unfortunately, the provisions of the bill undermine and reverse Kyrgyzstan’s efforts in this area and weaken its ability to develop human resources, attract foreign investment, and attract the support of its citizens and the international community to maintain the country’s sustainable position as a democratic state,» the NGO noted.
The NGO sector calls not to adopt a bill that contradicts the Constitution of Kyrgyzstan, as well as the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The Parliament of Kyrgyzstan adopted in the third reading the bill on «foreign representatives» (analogous to foreign agent law in Russian legislation), officially known as the draft law «On Amendments to the Law «On Non-Profit Organizations».
