Proposed Presidential Administration Fine for Slander Raises Concerns
The presidential administration has put forth a proposal to impose fines of up to 100,000 soms for slander and insults in the media. This announcement was made by Salkyn Sarnogoeva, the head of the Information Policy Department of the Ministry of Culture, during a round table discussion.
Journalist Semetei Amanbekov raised concerns about the increase in fines, noting that previously citizens were facing fines of up to 7,000 soms for violations, while legal entities could be fined up to 23,000 soms. Sarnogoeva explained that there were no proposals from citizens to increase the fines after public discussions, indicating that the decision likely came from the president’s administration.
When questioned by human rights activist Aziza Abdirasulova about the purpose of the bill, the Ministry of Culture official stated that it was unclear what the outcome of the initiative would be. She acknowledged the concerns raised and emphasized the need for laws to protect the interests of citizens, even though the specific impact of the fines remains uncertain.
It has been reported that the Code of Offenses is set to be amended to include an article specifically addressing slander and insults in the media. The bill, which has been approved by the Parliament Committee on Transport, Communications, Architecture, and Construction, proposes fines of 100,000 soms for individuals and 200,000 soms for legal entities found guilty of slander and insults in the media.
