The Parliament of Kyrgyzstan recently passed a bill inspired by Russia’s “foreign agents” law, thereby escalating government supervision of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Any recipient of foreign donations will now have to self-identify as a “foreign representative” and abide by rigorous guidelines when documenting their activities.
This law predominantly targets NGOs receiving foreign funding, compelling such organizations to register themselves in a “foreign representative” list and provide more detailed accountings of their internal activities. The Kyrgyzstan Parliament, mirroring Russia’s 2012 “foreign agents” law, asserts this legislation is designed to enhance transparency concerning the actions of foreigners and individuals acquiring funds from overseas.
The draft law has met with strong adverse reactions from human rights activists, foreign governments, and NGOs globally. In a joint statement by the European Union Delegation and the Embassies of Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States, an appeal was made to Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov not to sanction the law.
The President, however, defended the proposed legislation, arguing that it would only enhance transparency of NGOs operating in Kyrgyzstan. He also suggested that the law was a safeguard against perceived attempts by Western nations to influence Kyrgyzstan via civil society.
Observers have expressed concern over Russia’s growing clout in Kyrgyzstan, particularly with the adoption of the controversial “foreign representatives” law. Erica Marat, an Associate Professor at the National Defense University, stated that this is part of Russia’s larger strategic push to expand its influence in Central Asia post its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Now, the law awaits Japarov’s signature to come into effect, and numerous human rights organizations have called on him to reject the legislation. The Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, Tirana Hassan, said, “The Kyrgyz government should see civil society organizations, grassroots movements, and human rights defenders as its allies in building a thriving and inclusive society, and ensure an enabling environment that fosters diversity of opinion and freedom of association.”
Similar concerns were voiced by Amnesty International, which noted that the legislators failed to address various human rights issues that contravene international law. Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director, Marie Struthers, has called on Japarov to veto the legislation and urged Kyrgyzstan’s international partners to remind the nation’s government what freedom of association means in practice.