«In its current form, the bills on NGOs and the media could drastically reduce the independence of civil society in Kyrgyzstan and the space for work of independent media,» the British Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Ann Harrigan said on Tuesday.

According to her, civil society organizations play an important role both in Kyrgyzstan and in all countries where they are allowed to flourish. They help vulnerable groups, work on social issues, including health care, road safety and economic empowerment in Kyrgyzstan. They help to ensure that the voice of the people is heard, acting as a link between the population and the authorities. In this capacity, they help the government meet its obligations and improve people’s lives.

«We have all seen how helpful civil society organizations have been during the COVID-19 pandemic and after the clashes in Batken last September. They have been a key partner in providing humanitarian assistance to the population.

The bill, which affects non-profit organizations, in its current form may conflict with the obligations of Kyrgyzstan under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,» said Ann Harrigan.

She also recalled that the right to seek, receive and use resources from national, international and foreign sources is an integral part of the right to freedom of association, as established by various international and regional human rights mechanisms, including the UN Human Rights Committee. Ann Harrigan also recalled that representatives of Kyrgyzstan’s authorities have repeatedly and proudly spoken about the independence of the Kyrgyz media, comparing the situation in Kyrgyzstan with other countries in the region. But a negative trend in this area has been recently observed. Kyrgyzstan lost 50 positions in the global ranking of Reporters Without Borders for 2022.

«The draft media law in its latest version, we fear, will only complicate the lives of independent media, moreover, it does not comply with international standards on freedom of expression. We supported the participation of one of the media organizations in the working group on this bill, created by the presidential administration, and welcomed this step to interact with the media and other interested parties. Indeed, independent media can be inconvenient for many governments, including in the UK. But they have the most important mission, helping the authorities and the population to communicate,» the British charge d’Affaires ad interim said.

«We recognize and respect the right of the government to improve the country’s legislative framework, and we call on our Kyrgyz partners to carry out legal reforms, taking into account the views of civil society and the media community. I would like to say that an active civil society, active participation of citizens and a free media environment are the features that Kyrgyzstan is rightfully proud of. And we hope that this will continue in the future,» she concluded.