In the Kyrgyz Republic, a reform of the judicial expertise system is actively being implemented, one of the key initiatives of which is the establishment of a Chamber of Judicial Experts and the introduction of private specialists. This information was reported by the Judicial Expert Service under the Ministry of Justice.
The main goal of the innovations is to improve the quality of expertise, accelerate their conduct, and increase the accessibility of expert services.
The necessity for this reform is explained by the existing problems in the system. Currently, the country requires more than 60 types of expertise, but many of them remain inaccessible due to a lack of qualified specialists.
As a result, citizens, legal entities, and judicial investigative bodies face delays, and in some cases, such as DNA testing, are forced to seek services abroad or wait for months for the expertise to be conducted.
The new model involves active participation from the private sector. Private experts and laboratories, including foreign ones, will be able to operate in Kyrgyzstan if they become members of the Chamber of Judicial Experts. This organization will function as an independent self-regulating body with the authority to prepare specialists for certification, approve methodologies, maintain a registry, and regulate tariffs.
According to the authors of the reform, this approach will help:
reduce the burden on state expert institutions;
attract investments in modern equipment;
ensure the implementation of international standards;
increase the accessibility and timelines of conducting expertise.
Currently, the burden on the state system remains high. Every year, the Judicial Expert Service conducts more than 10,000 expertise, of which about 80% are primary investigations.
The introduction of private experts will also expand opportunities for citizens. Expertise can be used not only in criminal cases but also in pre-trial processes, as well as, for example, in consumer disputes, making them a full-fledged tool for proving facts.
At the same time, the system includes protective measures against potential risks. The appointment of experts will be carried out through the Chamber, rather than directly by clients. Tariffs will be transparent, and the activities of judicial experts will become standardized and under control.
It is expected that the implementation of this reform will not only increase the efficiency of the judicial system but also become an important step in protecting the rights of citizens, providing faster, objective, and technologically advanced access to justice.
