08/06/2016 (Agence Europe) - EU welcomes Parliament's rejection of NGO law. On Tuesday 7 June, the European Union "warmly welcomed" the Parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic's decision on Tuesday 7 June, during the seventh round of EU-Kyrgyz Republic dialogue discussions on human rights, to reject the draft law on civil society organisations. This law focuses on the registration of foreign individuals and organisations benefiting from funds abroad. The EU also welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic to re-examine the case of Azimjon Askarov, the human rights defender imprisoned since 2010, following the recent recommendations of the UN Human Rights Committee, which called for his release and his sentence to be quashed. The Europeans called for his release on 22 April (see EUROPE 11539). During the dialogue, the EU emphasised its continued commitment to supporting reforms focusing on governance and the rule of law in Kirghizstan. (CG)