Kyrgyzstan's President, Sadyr Zhaparov, signed amendments into legislation on August 14, that introduce penalties for disseminating information that "harms the health or development of children", the press service of president has reported.
The amendments modify the Code of Offences as well as laws concerning "Measures to Prevent Harm to Children's Health, Physical, Intellectual, Mental, Spiritual, and Moral Development in the Kyrgyz Republic" and "Mass Media."
The changes prohibit the dissemination of information in media and on the internet that:
- Incites children to engage in actions that endanger their lives or health, including self-harm or suicide.
- Could provoke children to use narcotic substances, psychotropic or stupefying agents, medicines containing narcotics, tobacco products, nicotine-containing products, alcoholic and alcoholic-containing products, beer and beverages made from it, energy drinks, participate in gambling, engage in prostitution, vagrancy, or begging.
- Justifies or legitimizes the acceptability of violence or cruelty, or encourages violent actions towards people or animals.
- Denies family and traditional societal values, promotes non-traditional sexual relationships, and fosters disrespect towards parents or other family members.
- Justifies unlawful behavior.
- Contains vulgar language or pornographic content.
The Kyrgyz NGO "Media policy institute" opposed the adoption of these amendments, describing them as "yet another administrative tool for imposing censorship and arbitrary restrictions on citizens' access to information."
According to experts, the "stated goal by the initiators to create a safe information environment for children is mere populism and an imitation of vigorous activity."
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