International Journal of Law And Criminology
6
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijlc
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue04 2025
PAGE NO.
6-9
10.37547/ijlc/Volume05Issue04-02
International Experience in Combating Corruption in
Civil Courts and Uzbekistan's Legislation
Rakhmonaliyev Zikrullo Iqboljon o‘g‘li
Fergana State University, Faculty of History, Jurisprudence, 3rd-year student, Uzbekistan
Received:
12 February 2025;
Accepted:
13 March 2025;
Published:
10 April 2025
Abstract:
This article analyzes international experience in combating corruption in civil courts and the legislation
of Uzbekistan. The article examines the causes of corruption in the judicial system, its impact on society, as well
as international standards and methods for combating this negative phenomenon. The anti-corruption legislation
of the Republic of Uzbekistan, its development dynamics, and proposals for effectively combating corruption in
civil courts are presented. The article's findings provide recommendations on important legislative and
institutional reforms necessary to combat corruption.
Keywords:
Corruption, civil courts, international experience, Uzbekistan legislation, anti-corruption measures,
judicial reforms, legal mechanisms, transparency, openness.
Introduction:
Corruption is a global problem that
seriously hinders socio-economic development in all
countries, especially in developing states. In particular,
corruption in the judicial system leads to the loss of
trust in justice, slows down economic growth, and
exacerbates social inequality. According to the United
Nations, the global economy loses more than $2.6
trillion annually due to corruption, which accounts for
5% of global GDP (UN, 2023).
After gaining independence, the Republic of Uzbekistan
prioritized the fight against corruption as a key area of
state policy. Within the framework of the 2017
–
2021
Action Strategy, comprehensive measures were
implemented to reform the judicial and legal system
and combat corruption. Under the New Uzbekistan
Strategy for 2021
–
2026, these efforts were further
intensified, leading to the adoption of a new edition of
the "Law on Combating Corruption" in 2021. The
objective of this article is to study international
experience in combating corruption in civil courts and
analyze Uzbekistan's legislation to identify effective
legal mechanisms.
METHODOLOGY
The following methods were used in this study:
Comparative legal analysis
–
A comparative study of the
experience of countries such as Singapore, South
Korea, and Denmark, which have achieved high results
in combating corruption, and the legislation of
Uzbekistan. Statistical analysis
–
Analysis of corruption
cases in civil courts based on reports from
Transparency International, the UN, and other
international organizations, as well as statistical data
from the Supreme Court and the Prosecutor General’s
Office of Uzbekistan. Normative-legal analysis
–
Study
and analysis of Uzbekistan's anti-corruption legislation
and international legal documents. Systematic
approach
–
Considering the judicial system as a holistic
entity in the fight against corruption.
RESULTS
1. International experience in combating corruption in
civil courts
1.1. The experience of Singapore
Singapore is one of the most successful countries in
combating corruption. In the 2023 Corruption
Perceptions Index (CPI), Singapore ranked 5th globally
with a score of 83 (Transparency International, 2023).
The country’s key achievements include:
Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB)
–
Established in 1952 as an independent div reporting
directly to the Prime Minister.
The Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA)
–
Imposes strict
International Journal of Law And Criminology
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https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijlc
International Journal of Law And Criminology (ISSN: 2771-2214)
penalties for all forms of corruption.
High judicial salaries
–
In 2022, the average monthly
salary of Supreme Court judges in Singapore was
$26,000, reducing the risk of corruption. Transparency
of court proceedings
–
Civil case decisions are
published online and are accessible to the public. A
distinctive feature of Singapore’s approach is its zero
-
tolerance policy towards corruption. If a judge is found
guilty of corruption, they are not only dismissed but
also face criminal prosecution.
1.2. The experience of South Korea:
South Korea has achieved significant success in the
fight against corruption, ranking 32nd in the CPI with a
score of 63 in 2023 (Transparency International, 2023).
The country has implemented effective mechanisms to
combat corruption in civil courts, such as:
The Whistleblower Protection Act (2011)
–
Protects
individuals who report corruption cases. Digitization of
court proceedings
–
The "e-litigation" system was
introduced in 2010, ensuring transparency in civil
cases. Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission
(ACRC)
–
Established in 2008, it has the authority to
receive and investigate corruption complaints.
Between 2018 and 2022, the number of corruption-
related complaints in civil courts decreased by 17%,
demonstrating the effectiveness of the measures taken
(ACRC, 2022).
1.3. The experience of Denmark:
Denmark ranked 1st in the 2023 CPI with a score of 90
(Transparency International, 2023). The key factors
contributing to Denmark's success in fighting
corruption include:
Transparency in the selection and appointment of
judges
–
Candidates are selected by a Qualification
Commission, minimizing subjective factors. Adequate
judicial remuneration
–
Judges in Denmark receive 4-5
times the average salary in the country. Judicial
decisions registry
–
All civil case decisions are stored in
special electronic registries and are publicly available.
The Open Government Partnership program
–
Aims to
enhance transparency and openness in the judicial
system.
2. Anti-corruption legislation and practices in
Uzbekistan
2.1. Uzbekistan's legal framework against corruption:
Uzbekistan has adopted several key legal documents to
combat corruption:
The Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On Combating
Corruption" (2017, revised in 2021)
–
Defines the main
principles and methods of fighting corruption.
Presidential Decree No. PF-6034 (2020)
–
Introduces
mechanisms to prevent corruption in the judiciary.
Presidential Decree No. PF-6257 (2021)
–
Establishes
new institutions to combat corruption. The State
Program for Combating Corruption (2021-2025)
–
Sets
long-term strategies for fighting corruption.
2.2. Institutional mechanisms to combat corruption in
Uzbekis
tan’s civil courts
Uzbekistan has introduced several institutional
mechanisms aimed at fighting corruption in civil courts:
The Supreme Judicial Council
–
Established in 2017 to
ensure transparency in the selection and appointment
of judges.
The Anti-Corruption Agency
–
Founded in 2020 with the
authority to identify and prevent corruption in the
judiciary.
Judicial Inspection
–
Monitors judges’ activities and
enforces ethical standards.
The "E-Sud" electronic system
–
Enhances transparency
in civil court proceedings.
2.3. Corruption in Uzbekistan’s civil courts:
According to the Prosecutor General’s Office of
Uzbekistan, the number of corruption-related offenses
in civil courts decreased by 23% between 2020 and
2022. In 2022, 12 criminal cases were initiated against
civil court judges for corruption, representing a 33%
decrease compared to 2020 (when 18 cases were
reported) (Prosecutor General’s Office, 2023).
According to Transparency International, Uzbekistan's
CPI score improved from 22 in 2017 to 33 in 2023,
indicating the effectiveness of ongoing reforms in
combating corruption (Transparency International,
2023).
3. Recommendations for improving anti-corruption
measures in Uzbekistan’s civil courts based on
international experience
3.1. Improving legal mechanisms Based on the study of
international experience, the following legislative
improvements are proposed for Uzbekistan:
- Adopting a Whistleblower Protection Law
–
Implementing mechanisms to protect individuals who
report corruption, following the example of South
Korea.
- Amending the Civil Procedure Code
–
Strengthening
regulations to ensure transparency in judicial
proceedings.
- Revising the Anti-Corruption Law
–
Clearly defining
mechanisms for combating corruption in the civil court
system.
3.2. Enhancing institutional mechanisms:
To strengthen institutional mechanisms against
International Journal of Law And Criminology
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International Journal of Law And Criminology (ISSN: 2771-2214)
corruption in Uzbekistan’s civil courts, the following
measures are recommended:
•
Improving the selection and appointment
process for judges
–
Implementing a transparent
selection mechanism, similar to Denmark’s model.
•
Reforming the judicial ethics code
–
Developing
clear behavioral standards for judges based on
international best practices.
•
Increasing judicial salaries
–
Raising judges'
wages significantly, following the example of
Singapore.
•
Further development of the "E-Sud" system
–
Digitizing all stages of civil court proceedings.
3.3. Improving judicial practices:
To enhance the effectiveness of anti-corruption efforts
in civil courts, the following practical steps should be
taken:
•
Developing
specialized
anti-corruption
programs for civil courts based on the experiences of
Singapore and South Korea.
•
Regular anti-corruption training for judges to
improve their knowledge and skills.
•
Strengthening cooperation with civil society
organizations to enable public monitoring of court
proceedings.
•
Enhancing transparency and openness in civil
case hearings by publishing court session records.
DISCUSSION
The analysis of international experience and the study
of Uzbekistan’s legislation have identified the most
effective mechanisms for combating corruption. The
experiences of Singapore, South Korea, and Denmark
demonstrate that the most effective approaches to
fighting corruption in civil courts are as follows:
1.
Improving the financial security of judges. As
seen in Singapore, judges with higher salaries are less
prone to corruption. Although judges' salaries in
Uzbekistan increased 2.5 times between 2017 and
2022, this figure still does not fully meet international
standards.
2.
Ensuring transparency in the selection and
appointment of judges. Denmark's experience shows
that selecting judges through an open competition
process reduces corruption risks. Although the
Supreme Judicial Council has been established in
Uzbekistan, the selection process is still not sufficiently
transparent.
3.
Digitization of judicial processes. South Korea’s
"e-litigation" system has significantly reduced
corruption risks. In Uzbekistan, the "E-Sud" system has
been introduced, but it has not yet covered all civil
cases.
4.
Whistleblower protection mechanisms. In
South Korea, such a law protects individuals who report
corruption cases. In Uzbekistan, these mechanisms are
still underdeveloped.
Although Uzbekistan has made significant progress in
combating corruption, there is still a need to further
improve legislation and practices based on
international experience.
CONCLUSION
Based on the study of international experience and the
analysis of Uzbekistan’s legislation, the following
conclusions have been reached:
1.
A comprehensive approach is necessary to
combat corruption in civil courts, which should include
legal, institutional, and practical measures.
2.
The experiences of Singapore, South Korea,
and Denmark demonstrate that achieving high results
in the fight against corruption is possible.
3.
While
significant
reforms
have
been
implemented in Uzbekistan’s fight against corruption,
further improvements are needed in the mechanisms
for combating corruption in civil courts.
4.
The most effective methods for combating
corruption in civil courts include: Improving the
financial security of judges; Ensuring the transparency
of judicial processes; Digitizing the judicial system;
Implementing whistleblower protection mechanisms.
5.
Strengthening cooperation with civil society
institutions and the media is a key factor in the fight
against corruption in civil courts.
REFERENCES
Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On Combating
Corruption" (2017, revised in 2021).
Presidential Decree of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On
Measures for Further Improvement of the Judicial and
Legal System and Increasing Public Trust in Judicial
Authorities" No. PF-6034 (2020).
Presidential Decree "On Measures for Further
Improvement of the Anti-Corruption System in the
Republic of Uzbekistan" No. PF-6257 (2021).
Anti-Corruption & Civil Rights Commission (ACRC).
(2022). Annual Report 2022. South Korea.
Transparency
International.
(2023).
Corruption
Perceptions Index 2023.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
(2023). Global Report on Corruption.
General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of
Uzbekistan. (2023). Report on Anti-Corruption
International Journal of Law And Criminology
9
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijlc
International Journal of Law And Criminology (ISSN: 2771-2214)
Measures.
The Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA). (1960, last
amended in 2018). Singapore.
Act on the Protection of Public Interest Whistleblowers.
(2011). South Korea.
The Judicial Administration of Denmark. (2022). Annual
Report on Judicial Independence and Anti-Corruption
Measures.
