The Jogorku Kenesh, the parliament of Kyrgyzstan, has passed amendments to the law "On Non-Profit Organizations" in its third and final reading, introducing the concept of "foreign representative," as reported by 24.kg on March 14.
The adopted amendments have drawn comparisons to Russia's law on foreign agents by human rights activists and journalists, leading to the unofficial moniker of the "law on foreign agents" within Kyrgyz media circles. An analysis by Factcheck.kg revealed that approximately 69.2% of the bill was directly copied from Russia's analogous legislation. The legislative process surrounding the amendments has been met with criticism, with Kloop noting that the vote passed without discussion, lasting only two minutes. Of the attending deputies, 66 voted in favor, while five opposed. The bill now awaits the president's signature to become law.
Amendments show that a foreign representative is defined as a non-profit organization receiving funding from abroad and engaging in "political activities" within Kyrgyzstan, including actions aimed at influencing government agencies and public opinion. These organizations are mandated to disclose information about their funding sources, assets, and personnel to authorities. Additionally, they may be subject to both scheduled and unscheduled inspections, with government agencies empowered to suspend their operations in case of violations.
Initial drafts of the bill included provisions for criminal liability related to the creation or involvement in non-profit organizations inducing illegal acts. However, this provision was removed from the final version on February 20.
The legislation has faced extensive criticism from various quarters, including international organizations, foreign governments, human rights activists, independent media, and local public figures. The Kyrgyz legal clinic "Adilet" has asserted that the law violates human rights and the country's Constitution.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed concern about the bill in January, prompting Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov to denounce the perceived interference in the country's internal affairs.
This move by Kyrgyzstan mirrors a similar development in neighboring Kazakhstan, where an analogue of Russia's register of "foreign agents" was established in September 2023. The Kazakhstan register includes journalists, media outlets, human rights organizations, and foreign company representative offices, imposing no restrictions on those included.
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