Kyrgyzstan Adopts Law Targeting Foreign-Funded NGOs

Kyrgyzstan Adopts Law Targeting Foreign-Funded NGOs

On April 2, Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov signed a bill on foreign funding for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) into law. NGOs that receive funding from abroad will be registered as “foreign representatives,” and they will be subject to costly reporting and auditing requirements. In the many months it took for this piece of legislation to pass … Read more

Kyrgyzstan’s Shifting Politics: Foreign Agents, Civil Society, and Russian Influence

Kyrgyzstan’s Shifting Politics: Foreign Agents, Civil Society, and Russian Influence

“We decided to shut down our organization,” said Dinara Oshurahunova, a prominent human rights activist from Kyrgyzstan known for her foundation, Civic Initiatives. When she spoke to The Diplomat, Kyrgyzstan was one step away from passing a draconian law on so-called “foreign representatives.” Mirroring the 2012 Russian “foreign agents” law, the law is expected to … Read more