Translated with AI
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov signed a law aimed at protecting the rights of minors in criminal proceedings and ensuring their subsequent reintegration into society, according to the presidential press service.
The law aims to remove children from the criminal justice system, eliminate legal gaps, and create more effective conditions for the return of minors to normal life.
According to the new regulations, if a child commits a minor crime for the first time and admits guilt, the criminal case will not be referred to court. Instead of a trial, the minor will undergo a special program that includes fulfilling established obligations, compensating for damages, and working with psychologists and child protection authorities. All measures are formalized in the form of an agreement to remove the child from criminal proceedings. If the terms of the agreement are met, the case will be dismissed without a criminal record.
If a minor violates the terms of the agreement, the prosecutor has the right to change the measures of influence, extend the program period, or cancel the decision on removal and return the case to the regular criminal procedure.
The law introduces a number of additional innovations. The state child protection agency is required to prepare an individual list of obligations for minors based on an analysis of their life situation and socio-psychological characteristics. These recommendations will be taken into account by the investigator when deciding on measures to avoid criminal prosecution of the child.
A written warning is established as a separate procedural procedure. The investigator must issue it simultaneously with the conclusion of an agreement to remove the child from the criminal justice system. The document also regulates issues of changing enforcement measures, extending the agreement, and terminating it, and defines specific procedural deadlines.
The law was adopted amid a rise in juvenile crime in the republic. According to the National Statistics Committee, 1,640 crimes committed by minors were recorded in 2024, exceeding the 1,552 cases recorded in 2023. The lowest number of such crimes in the last decade was recorded in 2020—1,031 cases.
The largest number of crimes among teenagers were registered in Bishkek (452), Chui region (293) and Jalal-Abad region (215).
In 2024, courts issued 131 sentences against minors—34 more than the previous year. An increase was noted in the proportion of those sentenced to terms of three to five years, which in 2024 amounted to 59.5% of the total number of sentenced. The proportion of those sentenced to terms of one to two years increased from 23.7% in 2023 to 27.5% in 2024.
