Independence of judiciary in focus of OSCE seminar in Turkmenistan

ASHGABAT, 25 November 2015 – International standards and best practices on the independence of the judiciary are the focus of an OSCE-supported three-day seminar that opened in Ashgabat today.
Lawmakers, representatives of law enforcement agencies and state institutions, as well as members of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan will discuss the different scenarios of applying and institutionalizing the independence of judiciary in the country.
They will also learn about the principle of the separation of powers, non-interference of the executive and legislative branches in the work of the judiciary as well as the relationship between the judiciary and business community.
“The 1990 Copenhagen Document requires OSCE participating States to ensure the independence of judges and the impartial operation of the public judicial service,” said Ivo Petrov, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. “It is our belief that this seminar will support the efforts of the host Government to conduct Constitutional reform in line with international standards and will contribute to enhancing the independence of the judiciary in the country’s political system.”
International experts from the Netherlands provided insights on the Dutch political system, and the rights and responsibilities of the executive, legislative and judicial powers. They also examined the role of supplementary bodies in supporting the independence of the judiciary.
The experts emphasized the importance of the oversight over the government’s actions to make sure the separation of powers is respected as well as the relationship between the judiciary and business community.
The event was funded by the British Embassy in Ashgabat.