CERD/C/KGZ/CO/5-7
Mezon TV has ceased to broadcast, Osh TV now broadcasts in Kyrgyz, that a number of
newspapers which used to publish in Uzbek has stopped, a situation which impedes the
right of persons belonging to the Uzbek minority to disseminate and receive information in
their language (arts. 5 and 7).
The Committee encourages the State party to take appropriate measures to ensure
that minority groups, in particular Uzbeks, can disseminate and have access to
information in their own languages. In that vein, the Committee recommends that the
State party take measures to establish favourable conditions aimed at encouraging
private ownership of media by persons belonging to minority groups, including in the
Osh region. The Committee also recommends that the State party provide training to
journalists in human rights, including on the prohibition of incitement to racial
discrimination.
Promotion of tolerance and understanding
14.
The Committee is concerned that since the June 2010 events, a climate of
discriminatory attitudes, racial stereotypes, suspicion between the majority ethnic group
and the minorities, widespread nationalistic discourse and exclusion continue to exist. The
Committee is also concerned at the absence of effective measures to create a peaceful and
inclusive society and to fully promote tolerance, reconciliation and understanding between
the Kyrgyz majority and the minority ethnic groups (art. 7).
The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen its efforts, including
through education, culture, awareness-raising campaigns, to combat racial
stereotypes, discriminatory attitudes, nationalistic discourse including in media, with
a view to promoting reconciliation, tolerance and understanding, and to build a
peaceful and inclusive society. The Committee requests that the State party provide it
with information on the concrete results of such measures in its next periodic report.
General provision on racial discrimination in the State party’s legislation
15.
Despite its previous recommendation (CERD/C/KGZ/CO/4, para. 6), the Committee
is concerned that the State party has not yet included in its legislation a general provision
prohibiting racial discrimination in line with article 1 of the Convention (arts. 1 and 2).
The Committee recommends that the State party include in its legislation a general
provision on the prohibition of racial discrimination which is in line with article 1 of
the Convention.
Non-compliance with all requirements of article 4
16.
The Committee is concerned that the criminal legislation of the State party, in
particular the provisions of articles 229 and 229-1 of the Criminal Code, does not cover all
the requirements of article 4 of the Convention (art. 4).
Recalling its general recommendations Nos. 1 (1972), 7 (1985) and 15 (1993),
according to which the provisions of article 4 of the Convention are of a preventive
and obligatory nature, the Committee recommends that the State party amend its
legislation, so as to give full effect to article 4 of the Convention.
Situation of stateless persons and asylum seekers
17.
The Committee notes the efforts made by the State party to solve the situation of
stateless persons in its territory by granting citizenship to stateless persons, in particular
those who were in possession of the Soviet Union passports, such as the 2007 Citizenship
Law, the Presidential Decree no. 437 and the National Action Plan to Prevent and Reduce
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