World Press Freedom Day: Opening remarks by Antje Grawe, UN Resident Coordinator in the Kyrgyz Republic

Protection of Human Rights and Media Freedom 

Dear journalists and civil society representatives, dear Tamara,

Dear colleagues the international community including my colleagues from the UN system,

On behalf of the United Nations in the Kyrgyz Republic, I would like to thank you for the invitation to deliver a statement kick-starting today’s important roundtable discussion on the freedom of the media and human rights. I am truly honored to be in the company of so many media professionals who carry out such critical role helping to strengthen democracy and the rule of law and to further sustainable development in Kyrgyzstan on World Press Freedom Day.

As we mark the 30th anniversary of World Press Freedom Day, this year’s theme “Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of Expression as a driver for all other human rights” is more fitting than ever.  As the United Nations Secretary-General has noted on the occasion, “this day highlights a basic truth: all our freedom depends on press freedom”.

As you all know, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), whose 75th anniversary the world will commemorate this year, four fundamental freedoms enshrined: freedom of speech, freedom of belief, freedom from fear, and freedom from want. It is not incidental that freedom of speech comes first: because this fundamental freedom is one that enables all others!

The right to freedom of expression and its corollary, the right to access information, allow us to seek, receive and impart information, ideas, concepts, and beliefs across borders and cultures. And in this, media and journalists - you all -play an essential role: they help verify and disseminate facts, they create spaces for ideas to be debated and for the voiceless to be heard, and they render complex matters understandable for the wider public.

Through their various platforms, media organizations, media workers and journalists can reach wide audiences, including the most isolated and marginalized communities, and inform them about matters or developments of interest for the individual citizen, communities or the wider public.

Freedom of expression and freedom of the media not only form the bedrock of democracy and the lifeline needed for other rights to be protected, take root and flourish, but they are also key enablers for economic growth and prosperity, for innovation and creativity.

In Kyrgyzstan, we have witnessed many instances where a free, pluralistic and independent media has played a critical role in shaping the country’s democratic institutions and being engines of socio- economic development.

One of many examples is the media's coverage of parliamentary and local elections, especially televised live election debates on different media platforms, which undoubtedly contributed to the culture of open and issue-based argumentation strengthening democratic practices and institutions.

Free press is vital for anyone living in rural locations to stay informed of developments that impact their lives. A farmer who wants to know what changes are coming to livestock registration, or pastureland management can turn to the media for answers and adjust practices.

Access to the internet and social media outlets is also a vital component in Kyrgyzstan's development, especially in this era of unprecedented technological transformation.

We also see how diverse and inclusive media landscape gives a platform for marginalized groups, such as rural women and youth, religious and ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities to make their views and needs known.

However, to create a diverse, pluralistic, and informed public discourse, it is imperative that individuals are granted the right to express their thoughts, ideas, and beliefs openly; and limitations on media freedom can have far-reaching consequences for any nation’s sustainable development as it prevents innovative ideas, constructive criticism, and alternative solutions from emerging, effectively hindering collective progress.

While we must recognize that fake and false information can undermine media's credibility, and social media we know is susceptible to misinformation or disinformation, rather than oppressing access of freedoms of expression and media, effective solutions point to the importance of innovative efforts such as strengthening digital literacy to empower individuals to recognize and resist false or fake news and media self-regulation including through respective codes of conduct.

It is with this in mind, that the Human Rights Committee urged the Kyrgyz Republic to “review the Law on the Protection from False Information, to ensure effective safeguards and judicial overview of all decisions blocking media resources, to review the national legal and institutional framework that may unduly restrict media freedom, including the draft Mass Media Law, and to ensure compliance with the Law on the protection of the professional activities of journalists, inter alia by guaranteeing the safety of journalists”.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

All UN Member States have a duty to uphold principles and objectives of the UN Charter and to comply with the UN Human Rights Treaties they are party to. This includes a duty to shape the legal and policy space within which people can express views, assemble, associate and engage in dialogue.

The role of an independent and impartial judiciary is paramount for ensuring that restrictions imposed on fundamental freedoms are compliant with international human rights law. This means that they must not discriminate, must be provided for by the Law, and be necessary and proportionate.

Here, I would like to express my hope that the expected appeal hearings on last week’s concerning decision of the Leninskiy district court in Bishkek on the termination of the registration of Azattyk radio will allow for a thorough and fair review of the initial decision. Closure of Azattyk would undoubtedly have a chilling effect on media freedom.

A similar important role to the one played by the judiciary in ensuring human rights, including freedom of expression and freedom of media, belongs to National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs). I would like to repeat my serious concern that has been shared by many in the past days: For the Akyikatchy to be able to carry out its mandate independently and without interference, security of tenure of the Ombudsperson is crucial. It is a critical condition for the Akyikatchy’s independence.

In this regard let me also express my regret about the decision that was taken earlier today to dismiss the current Akyikatchy.

Kyrgyzstan deserves both independent media and independent NHRIs.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am looking forward to an open exchange on crucial issues related to human rights and fundamental freedoms, in continuation of the constructive dialogue that was launched last year by you.

Dialogue on the draft laws, two draft laws “On the Mass Media” and “On Non-Profit and Non-Governmental Organizations”.

I trust that the two working groups established under the Presidential Administration with participants from civil society and the media will have the in-depth exchange on the drafts for which they were set up and that they will do their work without rush to produce draft texts that will in fact promote media freedom and enable socio-economic development.

I would also like to commend once more the earlier expressed intention of the Presidential Administration to seek legal opinions from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe on the final drafts. 

In closing, on behalf of the UN Country Team in the Kyrgyz Republic, I would like to take this opportunity to invite all to join efforts during 2023 to help make the four fundamental freedoms - freedom of speech, freedom of belief, freedom from fear, and freedom from want - become a veritable reality in the Kyrgyz Republic. 

And of course, the UN System stands ready to provide necessary support in this regard and to uphold the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for all people in Kyrgzystan.  

Thank you for your attention.