A/HRC/32/36/Add.3 509. The Special Rapporteur reminds the Government of Kazakhstan of its obligation “to respect and fully protect the rights of all individuals to… associate freely, online as well as offline… including human rights defenders… seeking to exercise or to promote these rights, and to take all necessary measures to ensure that any restrictions on the free exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association are in accordance with their obligations under international human rights law (A/HRC/RES/24/5, operative para. 2). Draft amendments to laws on public associations 510. The draft “Law on the introduction of amendments and addenda to several legislative acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan relating to activities of non-governmental organizations” makes several amendments to laws regulating NGOs in the country. The Special Rapporteur is concerned by provisions that may compromise the independence of civil society organisations, including restrictions on access to funding and requirements to register information about NGOs on a Government database (KAZ 4/2015). 511. He acknowledges receipt of the Government’s reply and appreciates the efforts of the Government to bring the law on public associations into line with international norms and standards. However he concludes that the practices outlined in the draft law appear to add supplementary bureaucratic obstacles and exacerbate negative perceptions of the role of associations (PR 15/10/2015). He recalls that the ability for associations to access funding and resources is an essential and vital part of the right to freedom of association (A/HRC/20/27, para 67). 512. The Special Rapporteur finally recalls the constructive dialogues during the mission he undertook in January 2015, and calls on the authorities to implement all the recommendations he put forward in his country visit report (A/HRC/29/25/Add.2). In this regard, he remains ready to provide any support the authorities may require to implement these recommendations. Kyrgyz Republic 513. JAL 30/07/2015. Case no. KGZ 2/2015. State reply: None. Allegations of increased targeting of human rights defenders and civil society organisations, by both State and nonState actors, including in the context of retrogressive draft legislations and amendments, for their peaceful and legitimate human rights work. 514. JAL 21/09/2015. Case no. KGZ 3/2015. State reply: 18/01/2016. Alleged persecution against religious minorities in the Kyrgyz Republic, namely the raid and closure of a Baptist church and the arbitrary detention and torture of Jehovah’s witnesses. 515. JAL 22/12/2015. Case no. KGZ 4/2015. State reply: None. Alleged ban imposed against a human rights defender from entering the Kyrgyz Republic for her peaceful and legitimate human rights work. Observations Responses to communications 516. The Special Rapporteur thanks the Government of Kyrgyz Republic for its replies and urges it to respond to the grave allegations contained in the letters sent on 30 July 2015 (KGZ 2/2015) and 22 December 2015 (KGZ 4/2015), as soon as possible. 517. He recalls the importance of responding to his communications as part of the Government’s cooperation with his mandate, in accordance with Human Rights Council 74