At their plenary session in Strasbourg on Thursday 19 December, MEPs adopted a resolution by 492 votes to 28, with 41 abstentions. The resolution is critical of the democratic backsliding in Kyrgyzstan, in particular the arbitrary arrest and provisional detention of opposition leader Temirlan Sultanbekov in the run-up to the municipal elections held on 17 November.
The joint resolution, supported by the EPP, S&D, ECR, Renew Europe, Greens/EFA and The Left groups, calls on the Kyrgyz authorities to immediately release Mr Sultanbekov and other party officials.
More generally, it criticises the government's attacks on press freedom and freedom of expression, and the intimidation of the political opposition.
MEPs are also concerned about the adoption of a law on “foreign agents” inspired by Russian law, and call for democratic standards and fundamental freedoms agreed under the EU-Kyrgyzstan Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) to be respected.
To see the joint resolution: https://aeur.eu/f/ew7 (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)