A working group has been created under the Administration of the President of Kyrgyzstan to finalize the new law on mass media.
At a roundtable discussion on freedom of speech in Kyrgyzstan, which was held in November, journalists, independent lawyers, media experts and officials of the Information Policy Service of the Presidential Administration agreed to create a working group and work together to finalize the draft of a new law on mass media.
The document, which was previously submitted for public discussion, was subjected to harsh criticism.
Lawyers of Adilet Legal Clinic, having analyzed the draft law, emphasized 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 editorial offices 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 the media.
As a result, a representative of the Presidential Administration Murat Ukushev agreed that the presented version needs serious revision, taking into account the opinions and comments of the media community. He also agreed that the revised draft would be sent to the Venice Commission for an opinion. The subject of the appeal will be the Presidential Administration.
The working group includes five people from the Presidential Administration, this is the head of the Legal Support Department Murat Ukushev, an expert of the department, representatives of the legal department, the press service and the Ministry of Culture, as well as 15 media representatives:
- Nurbek Duishenbekov, Journalists NGO.
- Akmat Alagushev, Director of Media Policy Institute.
- Nurbek Sydykov, lawyer at Media Policy Institute.
- Edil Zhanybekov, lawyer at Adilet Legal Clinic.
- Zhyldyz Azykova, lawyer at Adilet Legal Clinic.
- Nurzhan Musayeva, lawyer at Center for Media Development.
- Tamara Valieva, Chairwoman of Media Action Platform of Kyrgyzstan.
- Makhinur Niyazova, journalist, Editor at 24.kg news agency.
- Semetei Amanbekov, media expert.
- Dina Maslova, founder of Kaktus.media.
- Kaiyrgul Urumkanova, Govori TV.
- Dilbar Alimova, Politklinika.
- Kubat Otorbaev, journalist.
- Gladis Temirchieva, Vesti.kg.
- Dmitry Lozhnikov, April TV.
