Reacting to the news of Kyrgyzstan’s parliament passing a highly restrictive “Foreign Representatives” legislation to regulate civil society, Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director, said:
“The passing of this legislation by parliament is deeply troubling. We have witnessed, over a decade ago in Russia and across the region, how similar legislation laid the groundwork for the systematic dismantling of civil society.”
“This move not only undermines the right to freedom of association and threatens the independence of NGOs but also erodes the very fabric of the once vibrant civil society in Kyrgyzstan.
This move not only undermines the right to freedom of association and threatens the independence of NGOs but also erodes the very fabric of the once vibrant civil society in Kyrgyzstan
Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director
“The President can, and should, veto this legislation. It is crucial for international partners of Kyrgyzstan to remind its government and lawmakers what freedom of association means in practice, and compel them to immediately engage in meaningful dialogue with civil society organizations so that this harmful legislative initiative does not become law. It is the government’s obligation to ensure that human rights are universally respected and enjoyed, so that people’s lives are improved – particularly the lives of the most marginalized.”
Background
On 14 March, Jogorku Kenesh, Kyrgyzstan’s parliament, overwhelmingly voted in favour of adopting restrictive legislation on NGOs, imposing stringent regulations and excessive government oversight on organizations receiving funding from abroad. This legislation mandates onerous reporting on all financial, governance, and operational activities, specifically targeting independent NGOs that rely on foreign funding, which will be classified as “performing the functions of a foreign representative.” The concept of “Foreign Representative NGO” is apparently modelled on the ignominious Russian legislation of 2012.
In February, amid mounting pressure from civil society organizations and international bodies, one of the most controversial provisions in the draft law providing for criminal liability for breaches of the law was removed. However, the legislators did not address numerous other human rights concerns that directly contravene international human rights law.