27 February 2025, GENEVA – A group of UN human rights experts* today expressed concern at the entry into force of new laws restricting freedom of religion or belief in Kyrgyzstan.
“We regret that despite repeated expressions of concern by national and international human rights experts about previous drafts, the Kyrgyz Government has introduced legislation that restricts freedom of religion or belief in a manner incompatible with its legal obligations,” the experts said.
They stressed that the new laws, signed by the President on 21 January 2025, criminalise and marginalise minorities of religion or belief.
“The provisions of these restrictive laws will severely limit Kyrgyzstan’s space for freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, as well as freedoms of expression, assembly, and association, the principle of non-discrimination, and the exercise of cultural rights,” the experts said.
“Measures purporting to counter terrorism or violent extremism must also respect human rights,” the experts said.
They noted that the new legislation includes laws “On Freedom of Religion on Religious Associations” and “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Kyrgyz Republic in the Religious Sphere”, the latter of which also amends the Code of Offences. The laws introduce a wide range of restrictions on freedom of religion or belief as well as freedom of expression and association, including the introduction of fines for wearing certain religious attire, such as the niqab, in State institutions and public places; mandatory registration and re-registration every 10 years of religious or belief collectives, limited only to those consisting of at least 500 “legally capable” citizens. The legislation also includes mandatory registration and restrictions on the places where religious activities can take place, a ban on individual teaching of religious discipline outside recognised religious educational institutions, and a ban on the distribution of religious literature and other materials in public places and on proselytism outside religious institutions.
“International human rights law allows for limitations on these rights only in very specific circumstances, which these new laws do not appear to meet, and will have a serious impact on the human rights of minorities of religion or belief,” the experts said.
A group of UN human rights experts had previously shared their concerns about an earlier draft of the law in a Joint Other Letter to the Government of Kyrgyzstan in December 2023. The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights had also raised concerns about the draft law with the authorities in its periodic review of Kyrgyzstan’s compliance with the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights in September 2024.
“We call upon Kyrgyz authorities to conduct open, meaningful, and inclusive dialogue with minority religion and belief groups whose rights will be affected by this law as soon as possible, so that it may be brought in line with international standards,” the experts said.
“We remain ready and willing to support the Kyrgyz Government in implementing legislation on freedom of religion or belief in a manner consistent with its obligations under international law,” they said.
Ms. Nazila Ghanea, Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief; Ms. Gina Romero, Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association ; Ms. Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression ; Mr. Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism ; Mr. Nicolas Levrat, Special Rapporteur on minority issues.
Special Rapporteurs/Independent Experts/Working Groups are independent human rights experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council. Together, these experts are referred to as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. While the UN Human Rights office acts as the secretariat for Special Procedures, the experts serve in their individual capacity and are independent from any government or organization, including OHCHR and the UN. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the UN or OHCHR.
Country-specific observations and recommendations by the UN human rights mechanisms, including the special procedures, the treaty bodies and the Universal Periodic Review, can be found on the Universal Human Rights Index https://uhri.ohchr.org/en/
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