India chaired the 18th Meeting of the Chairs/Chief Justices of the Supreme Courts of the SCO Member States, which took place in New Delhi on 10-12 March. The meeting was attended by delegates from the Supreme Courts of the Republic of India, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the People’s Republic of China, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan. The chairs of the Supreme Courts of the observer states – the Republic of Belarus and the Islamic Republic of Iran, as well as representatives of the SCO Secretariat and the RATS Executive Committee also attended.
The participants discussed issues of digitalising court systems, creating “smart” courts, the future of judicial power, ensuring equal access to justice and transparency, and techniques for countering law-enforcement problems.
They emphasised that practical cooperation between the Supreme Courts of the SCO member states helps them improve their joint efforts in protecting the rights and freedoms of citizens, strengthening justice, the rule of law and law and order, and creates conditions for furthering judicial and legal reform.
Following the meeting, the participants adopted a joint statement.
The next regular meeting of the chairs of the Supreme Courts of the SCO member countries will take place in 2024 under the chairmanship of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
