Kyrgyz Republic Minister of Justice Ayaz Bayetov emphasized the key achievements of the agency in an interview with journalists.
“This is a long-term project carried out with the support of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights. Within the framework of the project, the digitization of the judicial system was conducted, and significant work was done in the field of probation. This has eased the situation for both government agencies and citizens, allowing the latter to serve their sentences in freedom under the supervision of authorities, which has led to a noticeable reduction in the number of prisoners. This, in turn, has contributed to a decrease in recidivism rates. Digitization has become a key solution in the fight against crime,” the minister noted.
According to Bayetov, such changes are not only humane but also economically beneficial for the country.
“We do not observe an increase in the number of prisoners; on the contrary, their number is decreasing, and residential buildings are being constructed on the site of one of the colonies in Bishkek. Kyrgyzstan today sets an example for other countries in this regard. We are also working on simplifying procedures and instructions, enhancing effectiveness in crime prevention, and combating domestic violence,” the Minister of Justice concluded.
The results of this work, initiated in 2022 with the support of the European Union, impress even the most skeptical observers. Statistics show that the number of strict sentences involving imprisonment has decreased by 24%, and the total number of prisoners has reduced by almost a third. The probation service, established six years ago, has become a reliable element of judicial reform, providing citizens with the opportunity for rehabilitation without severing ties with family and work.
Among the main achievements of the first phase of the project, one can highlight the complete modernization of crime registries and the launch of intelligent risk assessment systems for probation service clients.
