The number of inmates held in prisons in Kyrgyzstan has decreased by nearly 20 percent following the introduction of probation, the Ministry of Justice reports.

It is noted that the rate of repeat offenses among individuals on probation is approximately 1 percent.

Justice Minister Almaz Aiylchiev and European Union Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Rémi Duflot discussed the results of the first phase of the Justice for All (JUST4ALL) project and its continuation.

The introduction of probation has become one of the key areas of judicial reform. The mechanism provides for the supervision and social support of certain categories of offenders without isolating them from society, the meeting participants noted.

The parties also discussed the implementation of the second phase of the project, JUST4ALL-2. It envisages the creation of a unified digital ecosystem for criminal justice, enabling the integration of government agencies’ information systems.

The project also provides for the development of electronic legal services, improvements to legal statistics and expanded access to legal assistance for citizens.