It is important to note that on February 23, a draft law titled "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts in the Religious Sphere" was presented to parliament. This draft law proposes changes to the Code on Children, the Code on Offenses, as well as to the laws "On External Migration," "On Education," and "On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations."
One of the key points of the document is a complete ban on the exit of Kyrgyz citizens under the age of 18 from the country for the purpose of receiving religious education.
In addition, the draft law introduces liability for parents and other individuals who may facilitate such travel.
In particular, it is proposed to add a new part 9 to Article 142 of the Code on Offenses, according to which the exit of a minor abroad for religious education or facilitating this will be subject to a fine:
- 20,000 soms for individuals;
- 65,000 soms for legal entities.
The explanatory note to the draft law emphasizes that the initiative has been developed in accordance with the president's directives and aims to protect children's rights as well as to ensure national security. The authors of the document refer to cases of youth being taken to foreign religious institutions with destructive orientations and the risks of involving minors in radical or extremist groups.
Nevertheless, representatives of "Bir Duyno - Kyrgyzstan" believe that the proposed norms contradict the Constitution and may lead to the restriction of citizens' rights.
According to human rights defenders, the draft law lacks a clear mechanism for determining which foreign religious educational institutions are considered "destructive." As a result, in their opinion, the restrictions could potentially apply to virtually all religious educational institutions abroad.
Furthermore, the organization notes that such prohibitions may contradict the fundamental provisions of the Constitution, including the right to freedom of conscience, access to information, education, and freedom of movement.
In this regard, "Bir Duyno - Kyrgyzstan" calls on the initiators of the draft law to withdraw it in order to prevent possible violations of citizens' constitutional rights.
