Kyrgyzstan's Constitutional Court Revokes Decision to Use Mother's Name Instead of Surname in Passports

Kyrgyzstan's Constitutional Court has reviewed its decision allowing adult residents of the country to use their mother's name instead of their surname in official documents. In its June 30 ruling, the court had permitted the mention of the mother's name.

This decision was made in response to a claim from a female resident who sought the opportunity to list her name in her children's documents instead of their surname. The court had initially rejected the woman's request, explaining that minor children could be subjected to bullying due to the use of their mother's name. However, it determined that adult citizens have the right to choose what to include in their documents.

The Constitutional Court's decision faced significant criticism, notably from the country's Secretary of State Suinbek Kasmambetov, the Grand Mufti Zamir Rakiev, and the Chairman of the State National Security Committee Kamchybek Tashiev.

In light of the criticism, the Constitutional Court announced that the development of the situation "highlights the society's extremely negative attitude towards the proposed changes," which "undermines public trust in constitutional justice." As a result, the court decided to reconsider its stance.