Kyrgyzstan Toughens Punishment For Extremism

The Kyrgyz parliament is considering the draft law on strengthening the punishment for participation in illegal armed groups. In particular, it provides for a decrease the age limit of judicial liability from 16 to 14 years. According to local media, the new draft law provides for a punishment for financing of terrorism, harboring of extremists, recruiting or calls to extremist activity, participation in hostilities abroad or completion of extremist training.

The draft law proposes to cancel parole and amnesty for persons convicted of terrorism, extremism and accompanying activities.

According to the authorities, about 130 minors has been taken out of Kyrgyzstan to Syria and Iraq as of today. According to the information the State National Security Committee of Kyrgyzstan, among them are more than 80 children under the age of 10 years, 25 young people aged under 14 years, about ten young people aged under 16 years and four teenage girls.

According to the Kyrgyz authorities, around 500 citizens of the republic (including over 100 women) went to the Middle East to join to a number of Islamist groups in Iraq and Syria, including the extremist group “Islamic State.”

According to Deputy Chief of the 10th Main Department of the Interior Ministry of Kyrgyzstan Raim Salimov, children and adolescents are the perfect tool for implementation of radical plans. He expressed support for the proposed strengthening of responsibility of adolescents; however, he considers it necessary to thoroughly investigate all the circumstances of their involvement in extremist groups.

Salimov added that as a result of co-operation with the muftiat, the number of volunteers wishing to leave Kyrgyzstan for Iraq and Syria has decreased.
Source: easttime https://ccsi.ir//vdcce1qs.2bq148y-a2.html