Empowering the Justice System: Unveiling the Digitalization Project for International Legal Cooperation in Uzbekistan

On 20 October 2023, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, the UNODC, together with the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the US Embassy in Uzbekistan, hosted the launch ceremony of the “Digitalization of International Legal Cooperation Processes in Uzbekistan” Project.

The event was attended by representatives from the Prosecutor General’s Office, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Law Enforcement Academy, US Embassy in Uzbekistan, INL Uzbekistan, and the UNODC.

The launch ceremony provided a valuable opportunity for all stakeholders to discuss potential collaborations within the project. This initiative aims to enhance the technical capabilities of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Uzbekistan by developing and implementing technical and policy tools, as well as improving the knowledge and skills of personnel in managing international judicial cooperation requests using digital solutions. Additionally, the event served as a platform for outlining plans and setting preliminary goals for the successful implementation of activities in both the short and long term.

During the ceremony, discussions were held on the goals, objectives, and plans of the project until the end of the year. Experts, donors, and partners shared their views on the challenges and solutions related to the successful implementation of activities in the short and long term.

The event helped identify practical issues related to the development of systems for the digital transmission of judicial cooperation requests and the establishment of a smart database on international cooperation in criminal matters. This database will effectively collect and analyze relevant data, enabling the identification of challenges and trends in the field.

Ms. Ashita Mittal, UNODC Regional Representative for Central Asia, stated, “The Digitalization project aims to enhance cooperation and coordination among actors in the criminal justice system by expediting the mutual legal assistance process through secure digital transmission of cooperation requests between central authorities. By establishing a secure electronic means of communication and implementing a smart database with an analytical module, the project aims to become the driving force for cooperation among central authorities at both regional and international levels. I am confident that this initiative will ensure the high efficiency and speed of the mutual legal assistance process, significantly contribute to security and trust for cross-border cooperation to combat organized crime and enhance the knowledge and skills of the Uzbek central authority staff through targeted training programs.”

Ms. Svetlana Artykova, Deputy Prosecutor General of the Republic of Uzbekistan, expressed her gratitude to the US Government, INL Office in Uzbekistan, and UNODC for their support of this important project. She emphasized that the project aligns perfectly with the efforts of the Government of Uzbekistan to deepen its integration into the global economy and combat illegal economic activities within the country. It will serve as an essential element of international cooperation in criminal matters at the regional level.

The launch ceremony raised awareness among all involved actors about possible collaborations within the project, and facilitated discussions on the timely and effective implementation of related activities. These activities are aimed at developing systems for the digital transmission of judicial cooperation requests and establishing a smart database on international cooperation in criminal matters to collect and analyze relevant data efficiently.

One of the key outcomes of the event was the development of a series of recommendations and suggestions aimed at enhancing the implementation of the project and collaboration with all involved stakeholders.