Institute of Media of the Representative: Concepts « extremist materials » will serve as a megaphone for influence on "objectionable" mass-media

BISHKEK (AEIpress) - Institute of Media of the Representative estimates amendments offered by the Ministry of Justice to some normal-legal acts, including in law of KR « About mass media » as « direct rough restriction of a freedom of speech in Kyrghyzstan ». About it, it is spoken in the statement of the Institute from October 16, 2006.

Let's remind, on November 16, 2006 in Jogorku Kenesh of KR was submitted by the initiators of the Government of KR «About entering additions into some acts of KR». The proposed law provides modification and additions in some normal-legal acts, including in law of KR « About mass media ». Namely, to add the third head of the law to clause 18-1 in the following contents: « distribution of the extremist materials through mass media and realization of extremist activity by them is inadmissible. It is forbidden to distribute extremist materials through mass media, and also to carry out the activity containing attributes of extremism ». For infringement of given article by journalists and mass-media it is offered to apply the maximal sanction as imprisonment from 5 till 10 years.

« The institute of Media of the Representative unequivocally estimates the mentioned above additions as direct rough restriction of a freedom of speech in KR, - is spoken in the statement. - Concepts « extremist materials », « extremist activity » in legislation of KR are determined as not specific and being estimated norms, will serve interested people as a real megaphone for influence on "objectionable" journalists and mass-media ».

« It finally will reduce practically to zero all achievements of democratic Kirghiz Republic during independence in the field of a freedom of speech and will form a basis for development of boundless censorship and self-censorship. Moreover, the specified additions roughly contradict of the point 2 of clause 19 of the International pact on the civil and political rights which establishes, that a freedom of speech at all should be unfairly limited also to item point 8 of clause 65 of Constitution of KR forbidding acceptance of the laws limiting a freedom of speech and seales », - spoken in the letter of the organization.

In this connection the Public fund « Institute of Media of the Representative » calls deputies of the Jogorku Kenesh of KR to rise on protection of last democratic foundations in the Kirghiz Republic, on protection of a freedom of speech and not to approve the proposed law regarding entering additions into the law « About mass media ».