The Kyrgyz parliament's committee for constitutional laws on January 23 approved on second reading a controversial bill that would allow authorities to register organizations as "foreign representatives" in a style that critics say mirrors repressive Russian legislation on "foreign agents." Dozens of nongovernmental organizations in Kyrgyzstan have called on lawmakers to reject the bill, insisting that it merely substitutes the term "foreign representative" for "foreign agent" and would have a similarly chilling effect on their work. Russian authorities have used the law on "foreign agents" to discredit those labeled as such and to stifle dissent. To see the original story by RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, click here.
Kyrgyz Parliamentary Committee Approves Controversial Bill On 'Foreign Representatives' On Second Reading
Dozens of NGOs in Kyrgyzstan have called on the country's lawmakers to reject the bill. (file photo)