A/HRC/44/4 that such bodies undertook activities to prevent inter-ethnic conflicts. There were also quotas for different ethnic groups in the parliament. 121. The Government was trying to form a new trilingual generation of citizens who mastered the State, official and foreign languages, while preserving the native language of ethnic communities. Kyrgyzstan had adopted a programme on multilingual education, 2017–2030. With the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Kyrgyzstan had also articulated its vision for a civic nation. 122. Regarding the recommendation of Finland and the statement of Ireland on the liberation of Mr. Askarov, based on the Views adopted in 2016 by the Human Rights Committee, it was stated that the courts of Kyrgyzstan had undertaken all the necessary steps in the criminal case against Mr. Askarov, in line with the Code of Criminal Procedure. A judicial assessment of the case had been made and the relevant judicial decisions had been taken in accordance with legislation. On 13 January 2020, the Supreme Court had received an appeal from Mr. Askarov that would be considered. 123. In December 2019, a law had been adopted introducing amendments to the Law on the freedom of worship and religious organizations, repealing the requirement of coordinating with local councils to register a religious organization. 124. To resolve conflicts with regard to the burials of Christians and members of other non-Muslim minority groups, the Government had developed a temporary instruction in which the mandatory sectoral division of municipal cemeteries based on faith was envisaged, which was being discussed with State bodies. 125. It was asserted that the Office of the Ombudsman had an independent budget and representatives in every region of the country. In order to bring the Office into line with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles), a new draft law on the Office of the Ombudsman had been prepared and was currently under parliamentary review. 126. The national centre for the prevention of torture had undertaken 4,854 preventive visits, and the State budget annually allocated funds to ensure its effective functioning. 127. It was asserted that Kyrgyzstan had taken steps to adapt its national legislation to international standards regarding the rights of members of the LGBTI communities, and every citizen had the right to gender reassignment. 128. It was noted that the draft legal amendment aimed at designating non-governmental organizations as foreign agents and affording wider State control over the financial flows and activities of non-governmental organizations had been rejected in May 2016. 129. The delegation stated that the Constitution, the Law on the protection of the professional activities of journalists and the Law on mass information guaranteed the protection of journalists and their right to freedom of expression. Acts of intimidation and violence against human rights defenders and journalists were therefore investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice. 130. It was asserted that the Law on the guarantees of the President’s activities established the protection of the Head of State from the dissemination of discrediting information attacking his dignity and honour. Amendments had been made whereby the Prosecutor-General would now defend the President only with the agreement of the President and his preliminary agreement on the sum of damages. 131. Regarding the question posed by Belgium on early and forced marriage, it was noted that the new Criminal Code had established accountability for forcing a person to enter into de facto relations of marriage, forcing a person to enter into marriage or violating the age of marriage during religious ceremonies. 132. With regard to the recommendation made by Germany, the new Code of Criminal Procedure had established that evidence obtained through torture was inadmissible. 133. In the new Criminal Code, it was stipulated that possession of extremist materials for the purposes of distribution was not grounds for a criminal trial and did not imply criminal prosecution if there was no evidence of intent to distribute to trigger violence. 9