Freedom of Expression Under Threat in Kyrgyzstan

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Created on Friday, 12 April 2013 10:05

By Stuart Kahn, Country Director, freedomhouse.kg Kyrgyzstan
Apparently just the title of The Vagina Monologues announcement, an episodic play about the feminine experience, has evoked a negative and threatening response from Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Culture. As reported by Eurasianet.org, “The Culture Ministry sent a letter to local media outlets on saying The Vagina Monologues advocates ‘unnatural, perverted sex under the slogan of feminism.’ The letter warned that Kyrgyz law prohibits the distribution of materials that ‘promote pornography and offend human dignity.’”

The live performance is made up of a number of monologues by women on topics such as love, violence and anatomy but is primarily about female empowerment and individuality. Since Eve Ensler wrote the play in 1996, it has been performed in over 140 countries, translated into 48 languages and is widely available for viewing online. V-Day, a global non-profit movement launched by Ensler and others, has raised over $75 million for women's anti-violence groups through benefits of The Vagina Monologues. 
Over 85% of households in Kyrgyzstan experience domestic violence and bride kidnapping and rape are increasingly being documented. Until recently, punishment for stealing a cow was greater than for stealing a woman, although prosecution is still more likely just in cases of cows.  Only through an open discussion on problems confronting any society can changes be made.
And as we wrote in response to the ban of the I am Gay and Muslim film, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is unambiguous on freedom of expression: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression ... and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, however, recognizes "certain restrictions" when necessary for, amongst other reasons, "the protection of national security or of public order", although none of those are a propos in this case.
More information about freedomhouse.kg and our work in Kyrgyzstan can be found at freedomhouse.kg and freedomhouse.kg Kyrgyzstan.