ARTICLE 19 and PEN International Joint Submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review of Kyrgyzstan

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For consideration at the 21st Session of the UN working group in January/February 2015

14 June 2014

Executive Summary

 1. ARTICLE 19 and PEN International welcome the opportunity to contribute to the second cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Kyrgyzstan. The submission focuses on Kyrgyzstan’s compliance with its international human rights obligations in respect to freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly.

2. Since 2010, the government has taken a number of positive steps to advance protections for the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly, addressing several of the recommendations made during the last UPR. These include:

  • The adoption of the 2010 Constitution, with greater protection for the right to freedom of expression and the right to freedom of peaceful assembly;
  • The decriminalisation of defamation;
  • Improvements to the legislation on freedom of assembly;
  • An improved environment for the safety of journalists.

3. Notwithstanding these improvements, this submission identifies the following concerns:

  • New mechanisms for criminalising public interest expression;
  • Continued cases of impunity for crimes against journalists;
  • Restrictions on Internet freedom;
  • Attacks on the freedom of expression rights of minority groups.

To read the full submission, please download the full document below.

You can read our submission in full here.