On 29-30 October the International Legal Expert Workshop on “Strengthening the Rule of Law through E-Justice” was organized within the Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme "Institutional Change and Social Practice. Research on the Political System, the Economy and Society in Central Asia and the Caucasus" in cooperation with Bielefeld University and Ala-Too International University supported by Volkswagen-Foundation (Germany).

The two-day symposium was held at the Orion Hotel. It was attended by 40 representatives of judiciary, international and non-governmental organizations, academics, advocates, public officials from Kyrgyzstan, Germany, Italy, Greece and Russia.

The event was opened by honorable guests: Mr. Erkinbek Mamyrov, Head of Staff, Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic; Professor Sanzhar Erdolatov, Rector, Ala-Too International University, Prof. Dr. Andreas Vasilache, Head of the Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme "Institutional Change and Social Practice. Research on the Political System, the Economy and Society in Central Asia and the Caucasus", Bielefeld University, Germany, and Dr. Chiara Pierobon, Volkswagen Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Bielefeld, Germany. The event was attended by the Director of the USAID Project “Ukuk Bulagy” - Mr. Fred Houston and the Head of the European Union Program “Rule of Law in the Kyrgyz Republic - Phase 2” - Dr. Stefanos Kareklas. The event was initiated and moderated by Assoc. Prof., Dr. Aliia Maralbaeva, Volkswagen Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow, Ala-Too International University (Germany).

Professor Elina Sidorenko, Doctor of Juridical Sciences, Director of the Center for Digital Economy and Financial Innovation of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) delivered a Keynote speech on “Digital technologies in justice and legal challenges”.

The aim of the international legal expert workshop was to discuss relevant issues of digital technologies in the administration of justice, their role in strengthening the rule of law, challenges for protection of personal data, role of digitalization in HR management in public service, as well as ethical aspects of digitalization were discussed.

Representative of the Constitutional Court of the Kyrgyz Republic, judges of the Leninskyi and Pervomaiskyi district courts of Bishkek city, representatives of the State Public Service of the Kyrgyz Republic, advocates, leading universities and research centers from Kyrgyzstan, Europe and Russia - Leipzig University (Germany), Research Institute of Judicial Systems, National Research Council of Italy, European University (Cyprus), Institute of Legislation and Comparative Law under the Government of the Russian Federation, Ural State Law Academy (Russia), Kyrgyz National University named after  J. Balasagyn, Ala-Too International University, Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University, American University in Central Asia, Kyrgyz State Law University (KSLA), International University of the Kyrgyz Republic, and representatives of the international and non-governmental organizations – USAID Project “Ukuk Bulagy”, EU Programme “Rule of Law in the Kyrgyz Republic – 2^nd Phase”, as well as Public Fund “Civil Initiative on Internet Policy” delivered great presentations.

The speakers and participants highlighted not only relevance of the symposium, but also its excellent organization, expressing their gratitude to the Organizing Committee of the symposium in this regard.

We express our deep gratitude to all great speakers, participants, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aliia Maralbaeva, Volkswagen Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow; Ms. Adina Omurova; Mr. Ersai Abai, Ms. Altynay Kadyrkulova and Ms. Cholponai Arzieva for organizing this event.

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