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Activists start collecting signatures against law on false information

Activists have created a petition for free speech on the Internet on change.org platform.

The reason was the adoption by the Committee on Social Issues of the draft of the consensus panel, prepared for the law of Gulshat Asylbaeva, previously adopted by the Parliament of Kyrgyzstan, on manipulation of information.

Experts stress: the concept of the document has not changed, and it directly threatens freedom of speech. It aims to impose censorship not only on the media, but also among authorized Internet users.     

The deputies approved the resonant document on June 26, 2020. At least 79 members of the Parliament voted for it. Civil activists, domestic and international human rights activists demanded from the President Sooronbai Jeenbekov to veto the bill of Gulshat Asylbaeva, which threatens freedom of speech in the republic. However, under the Constitution, the head of state does not have an absolute veto right.

Jeenbekov returned the controversial law to the Parliament for revision in July. A group for overcoming the objections was formed. As a result, name of the document was changed — «on protection from false and inaccurate information».

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