Kyrgyzstan passes law targeting foreign-funded NGOs; critics warn media freedom under threat

Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday (Apr 2) signed into law a bill that will tighten state control over foreign-funded non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The controversial law that is modelled on Russia's "foreign agents law" has faced criticism from human rights bodies and groups who say it is restrictive and will stigmatise them and create unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles.

Foreign representative

As per Reuters, the law uses language similar to Russia's 2012 law on "foreign agents". It imposes additional reporting obligations on NGOs with foreign funding that are engaged in "political" activities.

The law, as per VOA, states that any organisation receiving foreign funding must register as a "foreign representative."

Additionally, another provision of the law gives the implementing authority, the Ministry of Justice, the authority to conduct unscheduled inspections and audits of such organisations and provides for criminal sanctions in the event of non-compliance.

In a statement, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov said, "You have been working with foreign donors for 30 years and no one has prosecuted you for taking money. Are we going to start doing that now? As the Head of state, I guarantee there will be no persecution."

"Our state has no secrets to hide from you and your donors," he said, adding, "All our information is in the public domain. If you can, get billions, not millions. It will only benefit our country."

Critics warn of 'overwhelmingly negative impact'

Previously, in February, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe warned that passing the bill "would have an overwhelmingly negative impact on civil society, human rights defenders, and the media in Kyrgyzstan".

Furthermore, the passing of the bill, described as a crackdown on independent media, was criticised by the US State Department, which said it was "deeply concerned" by the adoption of the law.

Stating that the law puts the work of NGOs at risk, US State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said the law "is the latest in a series of Kyrgyz government actions that have undermined democratic governance and civil society."

The Committee to Protect Journalists, an NGO that promotes press freedom worldwide, has called for the law's repeal.

Gulnoza Said, CPJ's Europe and Central Asia program coordinator, in New York warned,"President Sadyr Japarov's decision to follow Russia's lead on 'foreign agent' legislation threatens to erase Kyrgyzstan's 30-year status as a relative haven of free speech and democracy in post-Soviet Central Asia."

"While the law's current form does not directly target media outlets, it could cripple the work of press freedom groups and non-profits running several of Kyrgyzstan’s celebrated independent media organisations and must be repealed," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)