Kyrgyzstan's New Media Law Raises Fears for Free Speech

A new media law signed by Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov is causing a stir among journalists and activists who say it’s bad news for free speech.

The law, passed by parliament in June, gives the government a tighter grip on independent news outlets, and many worry it could be used to hush up critical voices in a country that once stood out in Central Asia for its open press.

The Law forces all media, including websites, to register with the government and limits foreign ownership to 35%.

Plus, new rules signed on July 8 slap big fines—up to $740 for news organizations and $230 for individuals—for publishing what the government calls “false or unreliable” information.

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Those terms are so vague that groups like the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) fear the government could use them to go after journalists it doesn’t like, without proper legal oversight.

“This new law is another step in a broader campaign to restrict media, civil society, and public discourse in Kyrgyzstan,” said Gulnoza Said, who works on press freedom in the region for CPJ. Human Rights Watch also pushed back, asking Japarov to ditch the law because it breaks Kyrgyzstan’s promises to protect human rights. Things have been getting tougher for journalists since Japarov took over in 2020. Last year, the government shut down Kloop.kg, a well-known independent news site, and in January 2024, 11 journalists were arrested for allegedly stirring up trouble. The European Union and the U.S. have called these moves a threat to democracy.

The United Nations has warned that the law could cut off access to all kinds of news, including from international sources. The fact that the government can now cancel media licenses on a whim is a big concern. Kyrgyzstan, with about 7 million people, used to be a place where journalists had a bit more freedom than in nearby countries. But with recent arrests, lawsuits, and news outlet closures, that’s changing fast. Many fear this law will make journalists scared to report anything that might upset the government.

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“This legislation significantly limits the ability of the media to operate freely,” said a spokesperson from the Kyrgyz Media Policy Institute. As the law kicks in, people in Kyrgyzstan are worried it’ll be harder to get straight, unbiased news.