BISHKEK: The Kyrgyz Parliament has moved forward with legislation that would impose fines on individuals and legal entities for insults and defamation on media and online platforms. The bill, which passed its first reading, proposes significant financial penalties for such offenses.

According to Trend News Agency, the proposed legislation was put forth by the Cabinet of Ministers and suggests fines of 100,000 soms (approximately $1,169) for individuals and 200,000 soms (around $2,339) for legal entities. These penalties would apply equally to cases of defamation in media. During parliamentary discussions, Deputy Dastan Bekeshev voiced concerns about the severity of the fines, labeling them as excessive and expressing opposition to the bill.

Other deputies highlighted potential constitutional conflicts, specifically with Articles 29 and 32 of the Kyrgyz Constitution, and questioned how the law would address defamation committed by individuals outside of Kyrgyzstan. There were also calls for the fines to be m
ore reflective of the average income of the Kyrgyz population.

The first reading of the bill saw 63 deputies in favor and six against, indicating significant support for the measure despite the criticisms raised.