On the night of 11–12 December 2025, a delegation of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) was denied entry to Kyrgyzstan at Bishkek’s Manas International Airport, without any explanation. The delegation was due to attend the Bir Duino documentary film festival, held from 12 to 15 December 2025. This incident highlights the country’s democratic backsliding and its increasingly restrictive stance towards independent voices.
Paris, 15 December 2025. In the middle of the night, the members of the FIDH delegation were summarily denied entry to Kyrgyz territory, without being given time to seek legal or consular assistance and without any reasons being provided. This procedure, which runs counter to international law, reflects the Kyrgyz authorities’ authoritarian drift, in line with mounting pressure on civil society and independent media.
The delegation was composed of Ilya Nuzov, Director of the Eastern Europe and Central Asia Desk at FIDH, Raphaël Lopoukhine, Head of Press Relations and Editorial Communications, and another colleague whose identity is being withheld for security reasons. The delegation was participating in the festival’s jury and was scheduled to meet with civil society actors, independent journalists, and representatives of several diplomatic missions present in Kyrgyzstan.
“We are extremely disappointed by the decision of the Kyrgyz authorities not to allow us to enter the country and to place a five-year ban on my future travel to Kyrgyzstan,” said Ilya Nuzov, Director of the Eastern Europe and Central Asia Desk at FIDH. “As there is absolutely no legal basis for this, I suspect the decision stems from FIDH’s designation as an ‘undesirable organisation’ in Russia and the pressure from Russia to restrict our cooperation with our members and partners in Kyrgyzstan, including Bir Duino. That Kyrgyz authorities appear to succumb to this pressure is a terrible sign for the human rights movement domestically.”
After being subjected to several interrogations, the members of the FIDH delegation were escorted back to their flights to the country from which they had arrived, namely Türkiye.
“Beyond the unpleasant nature of this incident, it is worrying on many levels — first and foremost for human rights defenders in Kyrgyzstan,” said Raphaël Lopoukhine, Head of Press Relations and Editorial Communications at FIDH. “In addition to our participation in the Bir Duino festival, our visit was intended as a show of solidarity with human rights defenders and journalists who are doing remarkable work in an increasingly hostile environment. Frankly, it is heartbreaking to see the country heading down this path. What are the Kyrgyz authorities afraid of? Preventing us from travelling to Kyrgyzstan will only strengthen our determination.”
FIDH will seek clear and detailed explanations from the Kyrgyz authorities regarding this unfounded and unlawful decision.
