Speech

Universal Periodic Review 49: UK Statement on Kyrgyzstan

Statement by the UK's Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, Simon Manley, at Kyrgyzstan's Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

• From: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and Simon Manley CMG
• Published: 28 April 2025

• Delivered on: 28 April 2025 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

Let me welcome the Minister and his delegation, and salute his government’s efforts to implement the recommendations from its last review. Not least, we commend its efforts on gender equality and welcome their constructive role on this Council.

Let me also urge his Government to uphold its obligations under the ICCPR and the commitments accepted at its last review.
We recommend that the Kyrgyz Republic:
 

1. Ensure the treatment of NGOS is in line with international human rights obligations, and that it removes regulations for NGOS to provide information not stipulated by the ‘Law on Non-Commercial Organisations’.
    
2. Maintain the National Centre for the Prevention of Torture as an independent and separate National Preventative Mechanism and provide adequate resources to the Centre to continue to effectively carry out its mandate.
    
3. Adhere to the principles enshrined in the Kyrgyz Constitution by amending the Code of Offences to decriminalise defamation and insult, and instead use civil litigation in line with international human rights obligations.

Thank you, Mr President.

Published 28 April 2025