President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a meeting with the leadership of the judicial system to discuss the results of judicial and legal reforms and priority tasks in this area.
The draft Justice – 2030 Strategy, aimed at further developing the work of the courts through 2030, was presented at the meeting.
In recent years, consistent reforms have been implemented to strengthen judicial independence, safeguard human rights through the courts, and expand access to justice. At the same time, an analysis of public appeals and judicial practice has revealed a number of issues that remain to be addressed.
In this regard, it was noted that the results of the reforms should be reflected, first and foremost, in citizens being able to access the courts without undue difficulty, promptly restore their violated rights, and have confidence in the fairness of judicial decisions.
The Justice – 2030 Strategy was developed on the basis of proposals from the public, consultations with scholars, practicing lawyers and attorneys, as well as international best practices. It sets out 57 tasks, while the Action Program for its implementation in 2026–2028 provides for 160 specific measures. In addition, 33 targets have been set for achievement by 2030.
In particular, to enhance the objectivity of reviews of lower court decisions, five interregional courts will be established from July 1, 2027. Appellate and cassation instances will remain within regional courts, while supervisory review powers will be transferred to the interregional courts. This will eliminate the practice of courts reviewing their own decisions and reduce the need for citizens to appeal to judicial bodies in the capital.
Given that civil courts deal with matters directly related to people’s daily lives and are the courts most frequently approached by citizens, their activities will be gradually organized, based on need, in almost all districts and cities by 2030 to bring such courts closer to the population. All courts will provide the opportunity to obtain information, submit applications, and use digital services on a one-stop-shop basis.
If a submitted application falls within the jurisdiction of another court, it will not be returned to the applicant. The court will independently forward it to the appropriate court. If minor deficiencies are identified, the court will actively assist the applicant in correcting them.
To expedite the resolution of economic disputes, a “proactive management of economic cases” standard will be introduced. This will save entrepreneurs from having to approach multiple authorities and resubmit documents.
Based on the principle that human freedom is the highest value, the “reasonable suspicion” (prima facie) standard will be introduced to strengthen human rights guarantees at the investigation and inquiry stages. When considering a preventive measure, an investigating judge will be able to verify the lawfulness of detention, the sufficiency of the grounds for suspicion or charges, and request necessary additional materials. This will prevent unjustified restrictions on a person’s freedom.
To ensure uniformity in judicial practice, an open Register of Precedents will be maintained, which will include rulings of the Presidium of the Supreme Court.
To free judges from organizational functions unrelated to the administration of justice, the institution of judicial administration will be introduced starting in 2028.
The Digital Court concept will be fully implemented in all courts, and the my.sud.uz portal and its mobile application will be improved. It is planned to increase the share of applications filed electronically to at least 50 percent, ensure audio recording of 100 percent of court hearings, and increase the number of users of the Supreme Court’s information systems by at least fivefold.
Furthermore, it is planned to expand the use of mediation and conciliation procedures, maintain an open register of administrative acts declared unlawful, and increase to at least three the number of categories of crimes whose cases are heard by a jury.
At the meeting, a sample of the special uniform for court staff was also reviewed. This will enable citizens to easily identify court employees and contribute to increasing their professional responsibility.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev also considered proposals to further improve constitutional proceedings, enhance the effectiveness of judicial community bodies, strengthen the independence of the judiciary, and provide professional development opportunities abroad for judicial system personnel.
The Head of State approved the draft Strategy and signed a decree aimed at implementing the reforms envisaged therein.