Parliamentary Committee Approves Draft Law on Slander in First Reading
The Committee on Social Policy of the Parliament of Kyrgyzstan has recently approved a bill in the first reading that introduces fines for slander and insults in the media and on the Internet. The bill, titled “On Amendments to the Code on Offences of the Kyrgyz Republic,” was presented by Deputy Minister of Justice Orozbek Sydykov.
During the discussion of the bill, MP Erulan Kokulov raised concerns about who would be held responsible in case a social media account was hacked and used for spreading slander. Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic Erkebek Ashirkhodzhaev mentioned that it can be difficult to identify the hacker involved in such cases.
Despite the challenges in identifying hackers, the bill aims to hold individuals accountable for slander and insults in the media. According to the proposed amendments, individuals could face fines of up to 100,000 soms, while legal entities could be fined up to 200,000 soms.
President Sadyr Japarov has voiced his support for the bill, emphasizing the importance of imposing fines for insults. The bill is set to undergo further review and consideration before it can be fully implemented in Kyrgyzstan’s legal framework.
