Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia will share their citizen’s personal data with each other for law enforcement purposes, the press service of Kyrgyzstan's presidential office announced Wednesday.
Under the agreement, each country will share information on the residence status, citizenship, migration registration, visas, property, criminal records and identity documents of individuals living within their borders.
“Today we received notifications from the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation regarding the completion of the necessary procedures for the agreement to come into effect," the Kyrgyz presidential office said.
The agreement will enter into force on July 21, or 30 days after Kyrgyzstan’s ratification.
The data transfer was authorized under a mutual legal assistance agreement signed by the three countries in December 2020.
Russia and Kazakhstan ratified the agreement in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
Kyrgyzstan's ratification of the data-sharing agreement raises questions over the safety of the tens of thousands of Russian nationals who sought refuge in the two Central Asian states following the invasion of Ukraine, either in opposition to the war or in fear of being mobilized.
Earlier this month, Kyrgyzstan launched a facial-recognition system that local law enforcement agencies use to search for individuals wanted in Commonwealth of Independent States member countries.
The 24.kg news website, citing the Kyrgyz Interior Ministry, reported that Russian security forces have shared data on over 85,000 internationally wanted individuals with Kyrgyzstan.
Kyrgyzstan this month deported Alexei Rozhkov, a Russian anti-war activist who was wanted in his home country for setting fire to a military enlistment office in March 2022 to protest the invasion of Ukraine. He is currently in pre-trial detention in Russia.
In September 2022, a Russian journalist who was wanted on charges of "discrediting" the Russian military was detained in Kazakhstan.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
