Amnesty International (AI) has sharply criticized Kyrgyz authorities over what it called "an unprecedented crackdown on civil society" that threatens human rights and the international standing of the Central Asian nation.
"The [Kyrgyz] government’s campaign against civil society is not just a series of random, sporadic attempts to fend off criticism -- it is strategically designed to stifle critics. The state’s actions echo some of the most repressive tactics deployed in the region’s recent history," AI's Central Asia Researcher Maisy Weicherding said in a statement dated February 8.
"Just three years after coming to power, President Sadyr Japarov has led an administration that has introduced a series of legislative initiatives, policies, and practices aimed at suppressing critical voices and restricting the operations of NGOs, particularly those engaging in human rights advocacy or 'political activity.'"
Last month, the Kyrgyz parliament's committee for constitutional laws approved the draft law that would allow authorities to register organizations as "foreign representatives" in a style that critics say mirrors repressive Russian legislation on "foreign agents." Further discussion of the controversial draft law is pending.
SEE ALSO: Incarceration Of 11 Kyrgyz Journalists Condemned By CPJ Media WatchdogAccording to the draft, noncommercial organizations and media outlets that receive foreign funding and are engaged in broadly defined "political" activities will be obliged to report about their activities to the authorities. The legislation under discussion will also introduce wide oversight powers by the authorities and potential criminal sanctions for undefined criminal offenses.
AI's statement also emphasized the situation around independent media in Kyrgyzstan, saying that RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, known locally as Radio Azattyk, survived a shutdown attempt last year, while the Kloop independent media outlet was blocked in September.
The statement also noted the ordeal of 11 journalists arrested in recent days over taking part in projects conducted by the Temirov LIVE group led by Bolot Temirov, who was deported from the country after his Kyrgyz citizenship was annulled in 2022.
“A thriving civil society able to operate freely and without fear is an invaluable and irreplaceable asset to any country, especially in the face of economic and climate crises -- and the [Kyrgyz] civil society has long shown itself to be such an asset. It’s time for the [Kyrgyz] government to unshackle the future, embrace constructive criticism and free expression, and chart a course that honors the dignity and rights of all,” Weicherding said.
Meanwhile, Kyrgyz authorities said on February 9 that journalist Ermek Attokurov and blogger Batmakan Jolboldueva were detained a day earlier in two separate extortion cases.
Attokurov wrote on Facebook shortly before his detention that "police are preparing a provocation against me."
As for Jolboldueva, the State Committee for National Security said she was detained after she was caught red-handed while receiving 25,000 soms ($280) from a person in exchange of withholding a sensitive report from publishing. Jolboldueva's stance on the situation is unknown.
Also, on February 9, journalist Aziyat Zheksheev told RFE/RL that he was summoned to a trial scheduled for March 4 for alleged violation of the law on copyright rights over his report he made five years ago while working for a local television channel.