The Ombudsman of Kyrgyzstan will apply to the Venice Commission with a request to give an opinion on the draft law on mass media, prepared by the Presidential Executive Office.
The Office of the Ombudsman’s Institute clarified that the appeal would be sent in the coming days. It is being translated into English.
Earlier, the Ministry of Justice gave a negative opinion on the high-profile document.
Lawyers of Adilet Legal Clinic, after analyzing the draft law, stressed that it contains serious risks of illegal and unacceptable deviations from the guarantees of human rights to freedom of expression. Separate provisions threaten the activities of independent media and journalists, including foreign media.
It is envisaged to introduce a number of different grounds and requirements containing vague wording of prohibitions, non-compliance with which may lead to the liquidation of a media outlet.
