The human rights movement "Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan" handed a letter to regional representatives of development banks funding projects in Kyrgyzstan (Asian Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and World Bank) expressing serious concerns about the draft law on "foreign agents," officially known as the law amending the "Law on Non-Profit Organizations."
The activists pointed out that the parliament of Kyrgyzstan could consider the draft law on NGOs in the third reading from March 13 to April 10. Previously, a group of 15 organizations, including "Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan," sent a letter to four international financial institutions expressing serious concerns about the draft law on "foreign agents."
In the letter, the organizations urged financial institutions to take specific actions and call on the Kyrgyz authorities to immediately withdraw the draft laws on "foreign agents" and on mass media, indicating that these initiatives contradict the principles and goals of development assistance programs of international financial institutions in the country and their adoption could lead to a review of these programs.
They also called for concrete and effective measures to ensure that the space for civil society and independent media in Kyrgyzstan remains open in line with the recommendations of international human rights bodies and agreed to create a platform, including representatives of independent civil society, to collaborate on addressing socially significant issues in the country.
The letter emphasized that if the law is passed, it would pose a serious threat to the successful development activities in Kyrgyzstan. It is worth noting that on February 22, deputies in the second reading approved amendments to the Law on NGOs introducing the concept of a "foreign agent" (similar to a foreign agent in Russian legislation), with 64 parliamentarians voting in favor and 5 against.
