KYRGYZ ROUNDTABLE ON RIGHT TO ASSEMBLE

UNCLAS BISHKEK 001081 SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM KDEM PGOV PREL KG SUBJECT: KYRGYZ ROUNDTABLE ON RIGHT TO ASSEMBLE ¶1. (SBU) On September 29, the Alliance of Civic Organizations "It's Time for My Choice!" organized a roundtable discussion entitled, "Peaceful Demonstrations Before and After Elections. What to Do Next?" Among more than 60 participants were members of the opposition, civil society leaders, human rights activists, and journalists. The discussion focused on ways in which the participants could restore/expand the right to hold peaceful rallies and assemblies. During the roundtable, participants discussed draft legislation to reverse the limitations of the August 2008 Law on Peaceful Assemblies, Rallies, and Demonstrations that restricted demonstrators to gathering in a few select locations in Bishkek and prevented them from holding rallies near any government building or major road throughout the country. PREACHING TO THE CHOIR -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Opposition leaders and human rights activists spoke to like-minded community leaders about the need to amend the current law on peaceful assemblies. Dinara Oshurahunova recalled the significant restrictions placed on demonstrators attempting to express their "outrage at the sight of blatant irregularities" during the Presidential Elections, which resulted in arrests and detentions in several regions of the country. Atyr Abdrahmatova of the election organization Taza Shailoo noted that the government created an illusion that it would cooperate with civil society prior to the election but clamped down on demonstrators on the day of and after the July 23 election. Omurbek Tekebayev, the leader of the Ata Meken opposition party, warned that "today's initiative might be the last possibility to exert change in the country." WOULD THE GOVERNMENT APPROVE A NEW LAW ON ASSEMBLIES? -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Youth activist Gulshair Abdurasulova, daughter of human rights activist Aziza Abdurasulova and member of the Ombudsman's working group to prepare a new law on peaceful assemblies, described draft legislation that would restore the basic right to gather peacefully. She noted that the draft law met or surpassed international standards, according to the Venice Commission and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe/Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR). The Ombudsman, Tursunbek Akun, added that the working group was created by his initiative and with approval from President Bakiyev but insisted that it needed significant support and further lobbying to ensure that it gains Parliamentary passage. MEMMOTT