MOSCOW, November 26 (Sputnik) — The United Nations (UN) human rights experts have urged the parliament of Kyrgyzstan in a Wednesday statement to withdraw a bill, stipulating legal prosecution and punishment for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
"Adopting new laws banning any expression on LGBT issues is certainly not the response needed to ensure better support and protection for the human rights of this group, which is often stigmatized and at risk," the UN human rights experts said in a statement, published on the UN Human Rights official website.
According to the statement, the bill targets everyone accountable for "creating a positive attitude toward non-traditional sexual relations, using the media or information and telecommunications networks."
The punishment for the gay propaganda will include up to one year in prison and a fine up to 6,000 som ($91), compared with the $140 average monthly salary of a Kyrgyz worker.
In the statement experts said that "the UN has already documented violence and discrimination against LGBT people in Kyrgyzstan and shown how similar laws in other countries have led to targeted abuse and violence against LGBT persons."
They also called on the Kyrgyz authorities to fight "against all forms of violence and discrimination in Kyrgyzstan," instead of "adopting legislation which de facto condemns lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities to silence."
In October 2014, the Kyrgyz Parliament adopted the anti-gay bill in a first reading, which would have to be approved in two more readings and signed by the country's president before taking effect.
