Kyrgyzstan: Development banks urged to intervene to stop repressive NGO law

International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) has joined more than a dozen other human rights organisations in sending a letter to international financial institutions (IFIs), which are funding development projects in Kyrgyzstan. In the letter, the NGO signatories urge the IFIs to intervene to help prevent the passing of the Russian-style “foreign representative” law, which is close to final adoption in Kyrgyzstan. The signatories stress that this draft law poses a serious threat to the future operations of IFIs in the country as it would severely restrict independent civil society voices, thereby limiting the IFIs’ ability to carry out safe and meaningful stakeholder engagement. They therefore urge the IFIs to jointly call on the Kyrgyzstani authorities to immediately withdraw the draft law, making it clear that it is contrary to the principles and objectives of their development assistance programmes and that its adoption could result in the reconsideration of these programmes. 

The interventions of IFIs are urgently needed as the draft “foreign representative” law was approved by Kyrgyzstan’s parliament on second reading on 22 February 2024 and it is currently pending the third and final reading. If approved by parliament, the draft law will be sent to the president for signature.

The joint letter was addressed to the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank and the World Bank.

Download the letter below