An anti-gay bill in Kyrgyzstan which has been condemned by human rights campaigners, has passed its key second reading.

The bill, which passed its first reading in October, would ban the “propaganda of non-traditional sexual orientation”, and appears as a harsher version of Russia’s controversial law, signed by Putin in 2013.

The country was urged by the European Parliament to drop the bill earlier this year.

MP Kurmanbek Dyikanbaev, who proposed the legislation was in attendance at the event which lasted about an hour, undisturbed.

A group of experts from the United Nations also urged the Kyrgyz Parliament to withdraw the bill.

The bill passed the first reading on 15 October 2014, but now needs an additional reading and presidential approval before turning into law.

A demonstration in favour of the bill took place earlier this month.

The move has been condemned by LGBT rights campaigners around the world.

“A law that forces LGBT Kyrgyz to live in fear while denying them the rights of free speech and assembly is dangerous,” said Human Rights Campaign Global Director Ty Cobb.

“These types of laws and the rhetoric surrounding them only empower bigots who seek to harm LGBT people.”