The Council of Human Rights Defenders of Kyrgyzstan released a statement today criticizing the a move by the country's parliament on May 26 to declare Finnish politician Kimmo Kiljunen "persona non grata."
The rights activists called it a "shameful decision" and said parliament should have taken longer to consider its response to the report by Kiljunen's commission.
In an open letter the group said "the Kyrgyz republic is headed down the dangerous path of becoming a pariah state."
Kiljunen headed an international commission investigating last June's inter-ethnic violence in southern Kyrgyzstan.
The commission laid a good amount of the blame for the violence on ethnic Kyrgyz and Kyrgyz leaders.
compiled from agency reports
The rights activists called it a "shameful decision" and said parliament should have taken longer to consider its response to the report by Kiljunen's commission.
In an open letter the group said "the Kyrgyz republic is headed down the dangerous path of becoming a pariah state."
Kiljunen headed an international commission investigating last June's inter-ethnic violence in southern Kyrgyzstan.
The commission laid a good amount of the blame for the violence on ethnic Kyrgyz and Kyrgyz leaders.
compiled from agency reports
