A draft law proposing amendments to the Law «On Peaceful Assemblies» has been submitted for public discussion in Kyrgyzstan. The document was published on the website of the Zhogorku Kenesh on March 12, 2026.
The bill proposes changes to existing regulations and would grant local government bodies the authority to determine locations for peaceful assemblies and routes for participants.
Under the proposed amendments, rallies and protests would be allowed only in specially designated places, which would be determined by local authorities.
Under the current version of the law, state bodies and local government authorities do not have the right to determine the time, place, or routes of assemblies. The new draft law proposes to change this provision.
The bill also suggests amendments to several articles of the law. In particular, it proposes to:
- grant local government bodies the authority to determine locations for rallies and routes for participants;
- clarify that peaceful assemblies may be held in specially designated locations across the country;
- remove references in some provisions to restrictions related to locations and routes.
According to the explanatory note, the amendments are aimed at ensuring public order and protecting the safety of citizens who are not participating in protests.
The authors of the document note that large public gatherings can create difficulties for residents, including road closures, disruption to vehicle and pedestrian traffic, violations of sanitary regulations, and damage to infrastructure.
According to data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, 3,740 rallies and protests were held in Kyrgyzstan between 2020 and 2023, including 1,727 in Bishkek.
