Lawyer Ikramidin Aitkulov, head of Aitkulov and Partners, criticized the performance of Kyrgyzstan's judicial system. In his opinion, due to the inefficiency of institutions, President Sadyr Japarov is forced to personally deal with citizens' complaints during his trips to the regions.
The President in the role of a firefighter
Commenting on appeals from Chui region residents on Facebook, the lawyer emphasized that people attempt to reach the authorities only through personal meetings with the head of state. This occurs even after citizens have already gone through all legally prescribed stages: investigation, prosecution, and courts.
"The President is forced to work like a firefighter. In one district, he listens to people, gives instructions, goes to another—and there, people again ask him to personally look into their cases"
Aitkulov cited specific examples of situations faced by the region's residents:
- In Alamedin district, a woman attempted to enforce a Supreme Court decision regarding the return of her daughters.
- In Sokuluk district, the mother of a deceased young man has been seeking an investigation into the circumstances of her son's death for five years.
- In Kant, a former prosecutor's office employee stated that her evidence of innocence was ignored.
Reform proposals
To rectify the situation, the lawyer proposed two changes that could form the basis of judicial reform. In particular, he believes it is necessary to require judges to provide reasoned responses to the arguments of the defense and the victims' parties.
