Kemin, December 25, 2020. - Today the Center for Free Legal Aid (FLA center) of the Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic was opened in Kemin City, Chui Oblast. This is the 29th Free Legal Aid Center in Kyrgyzstan.

The opening ceremony was attended by the Minister of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic Marat Dzhamankulov, Director of the Center for Coordination of State Guaranteed Legal Aid (SGLA) under the Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic Kalbekov Akzhol, Mayor of Kemin Dosov Soolaybek, lawyers, attorneys of SGLA, UNDP representatives in Kyrgyzstan and media.

Marat Dzhamankulov, Minister of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic: "The establishment of free legal aid centers allows citizens living in remote areas to receive quality legal assistance, which in turn is a guaranteed legal aid for its citizens by the state. Thanks to our partners, today, we are opening the 29th Center for Free Legal Aid, equipped with all the necessary conditions to provide quality legal assistance to citizens. Consultations are provided by qualified lawyers and attorneys, who are members of the SGLA system".

The main objectives of the FLA centers are to provide free legal aid, legal education, legal information, increasing the level of legal protection of vulnerable groups of population, providing access to justice, assistance in realization of rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of citizens, ensuring the right of certain categories of citizens to state-guaranteed legal aid. Free legal aid is provided in the form of legal advice and information by providing oral consultations on legal issues, as well as assistance in drafting legal documents.

Tomica Paovic, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in the Kyrgyz Republic, admitted important role of FLAs in Kyrgyzstan: “Legal aid is a foundation for the enjoyment of other rights, including the right to a fair trial, and an important safeguard that ensures fundamental fairness and public trust in the national justice process.

Legal Aid Centers have been very effective in three primary ways:

•           First, by raising community understanding and knowledge of legal rights. They are helping women understand that their rights are as important as men’s and that they have the right to be free from discrimination and being equal to men before the law;

•           Second, by helping legal providers to abide by ethics and apply due process principles in their professional functions, and;

•           Third, by enabling healthy dialogues between communities and justice officials to resolve local justice problems.

Free Legal Aid Centers are clearly a success story for the Kyrgyz Republic. The role they play in raising legal awareness and providing linkages between the justice system and the people is vital.”

Currently there are 28 free legal aid centers throughout the country in the cities of Bishkek, Osh, Tokmok, Kant, Kara-Balta, Karakol, Cholpon-Ata, Balykchy, Kara-Suu, Nookat, Jalal-Abad, Kerben, Karakul, Batken, Isfana, Kadamzhai, Talas, Uzgen and Naryn, as well as in Belovodskoye, Kara-Kulja, Gulcho, Aravan, Daroot-Korgon, Bazar-Korgon, Kochkor and Sokuluk villages. More information can be found at the following link: http://www.ukuk-jardam.gov.kg/ru/p/contacts/centers .

The Kemin FLA center became the 29^th in the country and 15^th opened with support of UNDP. 14 FLA centers supported by UNDP provided 3,718 legal advisory services to 2,116 people (1,156 women and 960 men, including 36 persons with disabilities) in 2020.

The initiative to create Free Legal Aid Centers was possible with the financial support of the MFA of Finland - UNDP project "Towards a sustainable access to justice for legal empowerment in the Kyrgyz Republic"