The UK champions Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all, including in Kyrgyzstan. On 8 July, the UK's Special Envoy for Religious Freedom, David Smith MP, set out the Government's new strategy on FoRB, providing a framework for engagement with other countries, and describing the links between the protection of FoRB and other goals including the prevention of conflict. As part of this strategy, the UK continues to support FoRB on the international stage, through our position in the United Nations, G7 and Article 18 Alliance.

The UK raised concerns regarding several human rights issues, including freedom of expression in the 2025 UN universal periodic review into Kyrgyzstan, the most recent iteration.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) ministers and officials have been in touch with their counterparts in Austria, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal, Trinidad & Tobago and Zimbabwe following their election as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for the 2027-2028 term. The UK looks forward to working closely with them to progress our shared priorities in the Council, maintain international peace and security, and uphold the UN Charter.

I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided by the Minister of State, Stephen Doughty, on 31 October 2025 in response to Question 85571, which - for ease of reference - is reproduced below.

The UK regularly engages with Kyrgyzstan both bilaterally and in multilateral settings on a range of issues, including human rights matters. I raised Human rights concerns during our Strategic Dialogue in February 2025. In Kyrgyzstan's most recent UN Universal Periodic Review in April 2025, the UK raised concerns about restrictions on freedom of expression and recommended amending legislation regarding "Incitement of racial, ethnic, national, religious interregional hatred". Our Embassy in Kyrgyzstan monitors the human rights in the country and works closely with civil society organisations and multilateral partners.

The UK regularly engages with Kyrgyzstan both bilaterally and in multilateral settings on a range of issues, including human rights matters. I raised Human rights concerns during our Strategic Dialogue in February this year. In Kyrgyzstan's most recent UN Universal Periodic Review in April this year, the UK raised concerns about restrictions on freedom of expression and recommended amending legislation regarding "Incitement of racial, ethnic, national, religious interregional hatred". Our Embassy in Kyrgyzstan monitors the human rights in the country and works closely with civil society organisations and multilateral partners.

I raised human rights issues with my Kyrgyz counterpart during the inaugural UK-Kyrgyz Strategic Dialogue in February 2025. We regularly raise human rights at ministerial level with Kyrgyzstan.

The UK Government reserves the right to suspend preferences on particular goods, or to suspend a country from the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) if it finds that they have seriously and systemically breached international conventions in relation to human rights.

When considering suspensions, the UK may assess, among other things, the impact on the beneficiary country's economic and development prospects, the impact on the country's most vulnerable people and the effectiveness of a suspension in bringing about change.

The UK continues to encourage all states to uphold their international human rights obligations, and hold all those who violate or abuse human rights to account. Our Embassy in Bishkek actively monitors the human rights situation in Kyrgyzstan and ministers have raised concerns regarding human rights and media freedom with the Kyrgyz Government.

The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs has not made representations to his Kyrgyz counterparts regarding the dismissal of Kyrgyz Ombudswoman Atyr Abdrakhmatova in May 2023.

I raised human rights with my Kyrgyz counterparts in February and April 2025, and Lord Collins, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, also raised it in February 2025. The UK made a number of recommendations on human rights during Kyrgyzstan's Universal Periodic Review in the UN Human Rights Council in April.

The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs has not made direct representations to his counterparts in Kyrgyzstan regarding the 'Law on Non-Commercial Organisations'.

Our Embassy in Bishkek has however raised concerns about the impact of this law with the relevant authorities. The UK also made recommendations about this law during Kyrgyzstan's Universal Period Review in the UN Human Rights Council in April. The UK regularly encourages Kyrgyzstan to continue to allow civil society organisations to operate with independence and without harassment. I underlined the importance of respect for rights and freedoms with my Kyrgyz counterparts in April 2025 and raised human rights more broadly with the Kyrgyz during the inaugural UK-Kyrgyz Strategic Dialogue in February 2025.

The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs raised his concerns regarding the conviction of several Kyrgyz journalists during a phone call with his Kyrgyz counterpart in October 2024.

Our Embassy in Bishkek closely monitors media freedom and civic space in Kyrgyzstan and raises issues of concern with the Kyrgyz Government. I raised human rights with my Kyrgyz counterparts in February and April 2025, and Lord Collins, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State also raised it in February 2025. The UK made a number of recommendations on human rights during Kyrgyzstan's Universal Periodic Review in the UN Human Rights Council in April.

We are following closely the progress of several proposed laws aimed at overhauling state religious policy in Kyrgyzstan. We share many of the concerns raised in Human Rights Watch's report about the draft laws, particularly regarding loose definitions of 'extremist' materials and on proportionality of financial penalties. Along with our international partners, our Embassy has been engaging with experts on the proposed legislation to fully understand the implications of the proposed changes. We will continue to track progress and encourage Kyrgyzstan to ensure fundamental rights are protected, including freedom of expression and freedom of religion or belief.

HMG has sanctioned every item that Ukraine has found Russia using on the battlefield to date. This includes goods that could be used for drones and heavy machinery.

We maintain a Common High Priority List (CHPL) of items critical to the Russian military, to thwart attempts to circumvent sanctions through third countries.

We continue to engage with relevant countries and monitor our exports for signs of circumvention, to do everything we can to ensure that sanctioned UK technologies do not make it to Russia.

The FCDO is following the progress of the Foreign Representatives Bill closely. We share the concerns previously raised by the United Nations that it could contravene Kyrgyzstan's international obligations in relation to rights and freedoms. We encourage Kyrgyzstan to protect these fundamental rights, particularly in the area of freedom of expression and assembly, which is essential to the long-term health of democracy.

The Foreign Secretary has raised his concerns over the Foreign Agents bill directly with the Kyrgyz government. His Majesty's Ambassador in Bishkek continues to raise these concerns with the government of Kyrgyzstan. We encourage Kyrgyzstan to protect fundamental rights, particularly in the area of freedom of expression and assembly, which is essential to the long-term health of democracy.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 27 November is attached.

The UK welcomes the ceasefire reached between the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan following border clashes in September and we continue to urge both sides to pursue a lasting solution by peaceful and diplomatic means. We regret the significant loss of life that occurred and express our condolences to the families of those who died. Having set out our support for peaceful settlement at the OSCE Permanent Council on 23 September, we are also engaging with partners on ways in which we can support this objective.

The Government is committed to championing democracy and human rights in Kyrgyzstan, and we welcome the partnership of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe with the Kyrgyz Parliament. I (Minister Cleverly) recognise the crucial work of the Council of Europe, and in particular the value of PACE experience in this sphere, noting that its recommendations will go to the Committee of Ministers in due course for review.