Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has ordered the drafting of legislation to reinstate the death penalty for pedophiles, rapists, and murderers of women and children. This directive, issued on October 1, 2025, follows national outrage over the brutal murder of a 17-year-old girl. Kyrgyzstan had abolished capital punishment in 2007 and ratified an international protocol against it in 2010.
Kyrgyzstan has increased pensions from October 1, 2025, with the average pension now reaching 11,226 soms. The indexation, affecting over 818,700 pensioners, includes a 10% rise for pensions up to 50,000 soms and a cap of 5,000 soms for higher amounts, aiming to enhance living standards.
Kyrgyzstan's parliament, the Jogorku Kenesh, voted on September 25, 2025, to dissolve itself, setting the stage for snap parliamentary elections expected on November 30, 2025. The move, officially aimed at streamlining election cycles, is seen by critics as a consolidation of President Sadyr Japarov's power.
The UN Human Rights Chief, Volker Türk, has warned that Kyrgyzstan's new law, which abolishes the independent National Centre for the Prevention of Torture (NCPT) and transfers its mandate to the Ombudsperson's Institute, seriously undermines torture prevention efforts and violates international obligations. The NCPT was a recognized regional model.
