At the meeting, a draft law was discussed that proposes changes to the legislation regarding legal representation. According to this document, legal representatives will be able to participate in court proceedings alongside lawyers, which will require amendments to procedural codes and the Code of Offenses. To become a legal representative, one must be a capable individual with higher education, relevant work experience, and a certificate of additional training, as well as be included in a special register.
Deputy Gula Kozhokulova noted that the proposed draft law effectively creates a new institution of legal representation, which contradicts the country's course towards debureaucratization. She inquired about the opinion of the General Prosecutor's Office and the Bar Association on this matter.
In response, Umutkan Konkubaeva confirmed that the Prosecutor's Office considers the institution of legal representation redundant and has already prepared an official conclusion on this issue.
On the other hand, the Chair of the Council of Lawyers of the Bar Association, Meil Begilerova, supported the initiative, emphasizing that about 40% of appeals to the Council concern citizens representing their interests in court without legal education. She suggested that only lawyers or legal representatives should be allowed to participate in court proceedings.
In response, Kozhokulova expressed her expectation that the Bar Association would provide a more substantiated legal position. She noted that the creation of a new institution of legal representatives could negatively affect the quality of legal assistance, pointing out that having a legal education does not guarantee qualified representation—one only needs to be included in the register.
Deputy Minister of Justice Orozbek Sydykov clarified that neither a separate chamber nor a new institution is being created, but rather a register is being formed. "Lawyers participate only in criminal cases; civil and administrative processes, as well as cases of offenses, remain. We are simply enhancing the qualifications of lawyers with legal education through training," he added.
However, Kozhokulova countered, noting that the changes also pertain to the Criminal Procedure Code. "You are misleading by claiming that this only concerns civil and administrative processes. The CPC is also affected. Do you understand what consequences this may lead to? This contradicts the norms of the Criminal Procedure Code," she expressed her opinion.
As a result, after the discussion, the deputies decided to exclude the draft law from the agenda.
