CCPR/C/TKM/CO/1 Freedom of Religion and Religious Organizations Act prohibits private religious education at all levels, and that the State party strictly regulates the number of copies of religious texts that religious organizations may import (art. 18). The State party should ensure that its laws and practices relating to the registration of religious organizations respect the rights of persons to freely practice and manifest their religious beliefs as provided for under the Covenant. The State party should amend its law to ensure that individuals can freely provide religious education in private at all levels and can import religious texts in quantities they consider appropriate. 18. The Committee expresses concern at reports that the State party systematically does not respect the right to freedom of expression. The Committee, in particular, expresses concern at reports of the harassment and intimidation of journalists and human rights defenders in the State party, and its refusal to grant entry visas to international human rights organizations. The Committee is also concerned at allegations that the State party monitors the use of the Internet and blocks access to some websites (art. 19). The State party should ensure that journalists, human rights defenders and individuals are able to freely exercise their right to freedom of expression in accordance with the Covenant, and also allow international human rights organizations into the country. The State party should ensure that individuals have access to websites and use the Internet without undue restrictions. The Committee, therefore, urges the State party to take all necessary steps to ensure that any restrictions on the exercise of freedom of expression fully comply with the strict requirements of article 19, paragraph 3, of the Covenant as further set out in its general comment No. 34 (2011) on freedoms of opinion and expression. 19. The Committee is concerned that the Law on Public Associations severely restricts freedom of association in that it, inter alia, provides for the compulsory registration of public associations and contains onerous obligations on associations to report to authorities. The Committee is also concerned that associations undergo cumbersome administrative processes for registration so that in some instances associations are forced to wait for a number of years before they obtain a registration certificate (art. 22). The State party should ensure that the process of registration of associations complies with article 22, paragraph 2 of the Covenant. In this regard, the State party should reform its system of registration to ensure that registration applications are processed professionally and expeditiously. 20. The Committee is concerned at reports of the use of children for cotton harvesting in the State party (art. 24). The State party should eliminate the use of children for cotton harvesting and ensure that children are protected from the harmful effects of all forms of child labour. 21. The Committee regrets the criminalization of sexual relations between consenting adults of the same sex, which entails a penalty of up to two years in prison. The Committee is concerned at the deep-rooted stereotypes against individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity (art. 26). The State party should decriminalize sexual relations between consenting adults of the same sex in order to bring its legislation in line with the Covenant. The State party should also take the necessary steps to put an end to the social stigmatization of homosexuality and send a clear message that it does not tolerate any form of discrimination against persons based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. 5