The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights spokesperson, Ravina Shamdasani, expressed deep concerns about a draft law titled "Foreign Representatives" in Kyrgyzstan. This proposed law has the potential to significantly impact the activities of numerous civil society organizations and poses a serious risk to fundamental rights related to freedom of expression and association.
The "Foreign Representatives" bill, as outlined in the draft, introduces the possibility of criminal charges and sentences of up to 10 years for individuals actively involved with or supporting non-commercial organizations that are perceived to encourage citizens to refrain from fulfilling their civic duties or engage in other unlawful actions.
"This offence is ill-defined, broad and open to subjective interpretation. It may result in the selective prosecution of legitimate human rights advocacy," she says in her message.
The draft law provides the Ministry of Justice with broad authority to conduct unannounced inspections of an organization's premises, oversee its operations, and confiscate documents. Furthermore, it requires non-commercial organizations engaged in what is defined as "political activities" and benefiting from foreign funding or assets to officially register as "foreign representatives." Failure to adhere to this stipulation could lead to the suspension of their activities for a maximum of six months, all without requiring a court order.
In light of these concerns, there is a strong call to action for the Kyrgyz Parliament to reject the draft law, as it poses significant risks to human rights and the functioning of civil society organizations in Kyrgyzstan.
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