The international organization Transparency International calls for Kyrgyzstan’s parliament to reject a Russian-inspired draft law that would classify externally funded civil society organizations as «foreign representatives».
As the statement says, restrictive measure targeting NGOs is aimed at stigmatizing them and potentially forcing them to cease operations, which has a chilling effect on the already shrinking civic space in the country.
The proposed legislation is part of a worrying trend in which Kyrgyzstani authorities have intensified efforts to restrict access to information, suppress free speech, and limit civic engagement.
Transparency International
This includes other legislative measures such as a draft law to restrict media, pressure on independent media outlets, and the arrests and prosecution of prominent activists and journalists.
As the organization notes, if the proposed legislation on ‘’foreign representatives’’ is enacted, hundreds of organizations that receive funding from abroad and engage in legitimate activities aimed at promoting public dialogue and advocate for improvements in legislation will face difficulties.
The draft law would grant public authorities oversight powers and potentially impose criminal sanctions for vaguely outlined criminal offences. Organizations will have to choose to register as ‘’foreign representatives’’ and submit to excessive state control or refuse to do so and risk suspension and eventual liquidation.
«The proposed law is incompatible with Kyrgyzstan’s international human rights commitments. Despite criticism from the international community, Kyrgyzstan’s decision makers seem determined to advance this dangerous agenda. If enacted, the law could seriously threaten Kyrgyzstan’s civil society and should be withdrawn,» Altynai Myrzabekova, Regional Advisor for Europe and Central Asia from Transparency International, said.
On October 25, 2023, the Parliament of Kyrgyzstan adopted in the first reading changes to the Law on NGOs and the Criminal Code, initiated by Nadira Narmatova and a group of deputies, which provide for the introduction of the concept of «foreign representative» (analogue to a foreign agent in Russian legislation). The document was adopted in the second reading at a meeting of the relevant committee on January 23, 2024.
The bill will be considered in the second reading today at a meeting of the Parliament.
