BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan — Baptists are among several religious groups condemning the restrictive new religion law in Kyrgyzstan, which was recently signed by the country’s president, Kurmanbek Bakiev.
Tursunbek Akun, the country’s human rights ombudsperson, said, “This law is not in accord with international human rights standards,” as it “imposes a range of restrictions that will prevent small religious communities from developing.”
Human rights defender Aziza Abdirasulova of the Kylym Shamy (Candle of the Century) Centre for Human Rights Protection agreed.
“The new law contradicts international human rights standards, and it is not the only law now being signed that does so,” she said, noting the civil society and smaller religious communities had been “left on the sidelines” in the law’s drafting.
Also condemning the new law are Seventh-day Adventists, Baha’is and Hare Krishna devotees.
Jens Eschenbaecher, spokesperson for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), said Jan. 13, “It appears that the law as signed by the president still contains many of the problematic features that were highlighted in the legal opinion which was prepared by the ODIHR and the Venice Commission.”
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