The representatives of the Research Centre for Democratisation and Liberalisation of the Judicial Legislation and Protection of the Independence of Judicial System under the Supreme Court of the Republic of Uzbekistan took part in this form for the first time this year.

The Asian-Pacific Forum for Judicial Reforms is a regional network consisting of the Supreme Courts of 49 countries of the Asian-Pacific regions, created with to assist the implementation of judicial reforms in the region. As a result of Manila Declaration for Judicial Reforms of 2005, the forum calls on to the members to share experience on the judicial reforms implemented. The aim of the Asian-Pacific Forum for Judicial Reforms is to create a network to support the judicial reforms in the countries of the Asian Pacific region.

At the meetings held within the frames of the forum attended by the Chairman of the Supreme Court of Singapore, the President of the Singapore Law Academy Chan Sek Keong , the members of the Steering Committee of the Asian-Pacific Forum for Judicial Reforms and the heads of judicial bodies of the member countries gave a high mark to the results of judicial-legal reforms being implemented in Uzbekistan, including gradual liberalization of the criminal procedures, abolition of the death penalty, introduction of the institute of Habeas Corpus, and other initiatives of the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan on comprehensive approach to tackling the issues of democratization and liberalization of judicial legislation.

Meeting participants emphasized the importance of the activation of cooperation between the judicial bodies of the two countries, and the Research Centre for Democratisation and Liberalisation of the Judicial Legislation and Protection of the Independence of Judicial System under the Supreme Court of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Law Academy of Singapore by means of sharing of expert information and literature on the progress of judicial reforms in Uzbekistan and Singapore. Special focus was made on cooperation in application of information and communication technology in court procedures, and organisation of internships of judges of both countries.