Rights group Amnesty International has sounded the warning over the worsening state of civil society in Kyrgyzstan, once considered a relative beacon of democracy in the region, as the government shows little sign of relenting in its campaign to stifle critical voices. In a statement published on January 8, the rights group noted how journalists and activists have increasingly been targeted with arbitrary detentions and smear attacks on social media. Elsewhere, the authorities have maneuvered malleable lawmakers into drafting legislation designed to undermine rule of law and restrict freedom o…