LAUSR

ABSTRACT The legitimacy of any justice system depends on the belief or perception that it operates fairly and without prejudice against any person whose interests it serves. Previous research has shown that in the Kyrgyz Republic the fair trial rights, for the most part, protected during the trial stage of the criminal justice process. The same cannot be said when it comes to implementing those rights during the pretrial stages of the process. Based on the results of 165 surveys and 10 in-depth post-survey interviews of Kyrgyz judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, members of various law enforcement bodies, NGOs, and of the public, there is a marked lack of trust in the Kyrgyz criminal justice system within the general public and within the system itself. Actual practices differ from the internationally recognized standards reflected in the country’s laws and to a certain degree reflect the legacy of the Soviet criminal justice system.