Law and Order in Kyrgyzstan: Between Yesterday and Tomorrow

December 4th @ 8AM via Zoom

Register to receive Zoom webinar link and reminders for this event.

The Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic proclaims rule of law as one of the fundamental values. As in many other states, there are serious discrepancies between this ideal and realities on the ground. Kyrgyzstan’s law enforcement system is riddled with capacity deficit and corruption. While there is no properly functioning rule of law, there is a certain order understandable to its participants. It is composed of formal laws, mandates and institutions (police quarters, courts and prisons) and informal rules of the game and networks. The panel will discuss Kyrgyzstan’s law-enforcement system, its key features and the trajectory of its development. A special attention will be paid to current events and their implications.
 

Speakers:
Vera Mironova is a Center Associate at the Davis Center. Vera is an author of the award winning book "From Freedom Fighters to Jihadists. Human Resources of Non State Armed Groups" published by Oxford University Press and is currently finishing a book "From Nazis, Islamists, to Thieves:How Prisons Radicalize". For this book she conducted extensive fieldwork with current and former inmates in post Soviet countries, including Kyrgyzstan. Her scholarship has been featured in numerous publications including The New York Times, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, BBC, and The Boston Globe. She has also served as a commentator for a number of major media outlets, including The New York Times, the Associated Press, Washington Post, and Vice News.

Saniia Toktogazieva is an Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Human Rights program at the American University of Central Asia in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic. Saniia teaches courses in Constitutional Law, International Criminal Law, Advanced Issues in Public International Law, International human rights law and Democracy in Dark times. She holds an LLB in International and Business law from American University of Central Asia, Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, an LLM in Human Rights from Central European University, Budapest, Hungary and SJD in Comparative Constitutional Law at the Central European University. Saniia was a fellow of Academic Fellowship Program (OSF) and a recipient of the research grant "Beyond the Ivory Tower" supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Saniia worked as a short term consultant in the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) and as an instructor and teaching assistant in Central European University.

Erica Marat is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Regional and Analytical Studies Department at College of International Security and Affairs (CISA), National Defense University. She has previously directed Homeland Defense Fellowship Program at CISA. Dr. Marat’s research focuses on violence, mobilization and security institutions in Eurasia, India, and Mexico. Her recent book is titled The Politics of Police Reform: Society against the State in Post-Soviet Countries (Oxford University Press 2018). Her articles appeared in Foreign Affairs, Washington Post, Foreign Policy, and Open Democracy. You can find her on Twitter @EricaMarat.