LocationsLawyers of the Bus of Solidarity delivering legal aid in to regions. Photo: Dmitry Motinov / UNDP Kyrgyzstan
From 30 November to 5 December 2020, the Decade of free legal aid provision to the population, organized by the Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic, was held throughout the republic.
According to preliminary estimates, during the decade, more than 4,000 people applied to the justice authorities, including state notaries, for free legal advice and assistance.
Senior woman visiting Free Legal Aid Center in Osh city. Photo: Dmitry Motinov / UNPD Kyrgyzstan
Preliminary data by regions:
- Osh Province - 392;
- Issyk-Kul Province - 148;
- Jalal-Abad Province - 945;
- Naryn Province - 280;
- Batken Province - 336;
- Talas Province - 373;
- Bishkek City and Chui Province - over 1497.
During the decade, citizens most often requested the assistance on the issues of inheritance, immovable and movable property ownership (pledge, donation, purchase and sale), family law (divorce, division of property, determination of the place of children’s residence), criminal law, administrative offenses, social protection (pensions, benefits), land issues (registration of land plots, obtaining title documents, etc.), as well as on issues related to documentation, registration / re-registration, termination of legal entities, apostillation of documents. In addition, during the consultations, citizens applied for qualified legal assistance.
Citizens most often requested the assistance on the issues of inheritance, immovable and movable property ownership, family law, criminal law, administrative offenses, social protection, land issues.
Photo: Dmitry Motinov / UNDP Kyrgyzstan
At the same time, the Center for Coordination of State Guaranteed Legal Aid, carried out a large-scale information and awareness raising campaign about the system of state-guaranteed legal aid through the media (television, radio, newspapers), and the Center's employees together with lawyers participated in online consultations, live broadcasts on TV and radio.
Employees of the Ministry of Justice and its subordinate and territorial divisions provided free legal advice to the population throughout the country. Along with the employees, state notaries, the Centers for free legal aid provision of the territorial departments of justice, lawyers of the state-guaranteed legal aid system also provided legal advice.
According to preliminary estimates, during the decade, more than 4,000 people applied to the justice authorities, including state notaries.
Photo: Dmitry Motinov / UNDP Kyrgyzstan
In addition, representatives of some state authorities, the Bar Association of the Kyrgyz Republic and a number of non-profit organizations providing legal advice participated in the Decade.
Because the Ministry of Justice conducted similar activities in crowded places in previous years, this year, given the epidemiological situation and restrictive measures taken in the country, the format of the decade was changed significantly. The decade was mainly held online. Citizens were able to apply for consultations via telephone (calls), messengers (WhatsApp), Facebook social network, and hotline 112.
Please note that after the count of the number of citizens who applied for legal aid within the Decade is finalized, detailed information will be available on the websites of the Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic: http://minjust.gov.kg/ Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/minjustKR/ and the Center for Coordination of State Guaranteed Legal Aid: http://ukuk-jardam.gov.kg/ Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ggupkr/.
Partners of the Project of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland and UNDP “Towards a sustainable access to justice for legal empowerment in the Kyrgyz Republic”, Soros Foundation- Kyrgyzstan and the European Union Program “Rule of Law in the Kyrgyz Republic – Phase 2”, implemented by the German Agency for International Cooperation GIZ
