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Head of the Division on Legal Support and Personnel Management of the Office of the Supreme Judicial Council Aidos Zholmanov took part in the broadcast of the program «Minber» on the radio station «Qazaqradiosy».
He noted that the Supreme Judicial Council,as an autonomous body that protects judges from any interference, continues to strengthen in legislative and institutional terms.
Important changes aimed at enhancing independence and transparency of the Council's work have been introduced during recent years
Among the keynovelties is the updated procedure for bringing judges to disciplinary responsibility: the Judicial Juryunder the Council now examinesallfacts of grossviolations of the rule of lawidentified by higherauthorities.Thisimproves the quality of the administration of justice.
Special attention is paid to the Academy of Justice, which has been transferred to thejurisdiction of the Council .New educational programs and the development of scientificactiviti esexpand the possibilities of training future judges and the professional development of current ones.
Aidos Zholmanov noted that the initiatives to consolidate the exac tnumber of Council members and to adjustits composition are under the consideration of the Mazhilis, these steps are aimed on preventing conflicts of interest and further independence strengthening.
All undertaken changes comply with international standards and serve to main purpose -strengthening of public confidence in judicial system.
The Academy of Justice under the SupremeJudicial Council continues holding an online advanced training for investigative judges
The Academy of Justice under the Supreme Judicial Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan hosts two-week online advanced training for judges of specialized investigative courts from allregions of the country.
Lessons are conducted by members of the Supreme Judicial Council, judges of the Supreme Court, judges of regional courts, academicstaff of the Academy, aswell as by experts from international and national organizations.
The training program covers currentissues of practice of authorizing preventive measures and procedure for their extension, authorizing investigativeactions, escrow oftestimony by an investigatingjudge, aswell as the judicialprocedure for appealingactions of inquiry bodies, investigatorandprosecutor.
For thefirst time, a number of new and relevanttopics have been included in the training program for judges specializingin examiningin vestigativematerials. Attendees learn the basics of blockchainanalyticsin the investigation of casesrelatedto the turnover of digitalassetsandcryptocurrencies,aswell as the use of artificialintelligencein court proceedingsandin during appointment of forensicresearch.
In addition,pursuant to the instructions of the Chairman of the SupremeJudicialCouncil D.Malakhov a theoreticalblock«On the disciplinarypractice of the JudicialJury» is includedinto the program.Itsstudy is aimedatincreasing the professionalresponsibility of judges, strengtheningethicalstandardsandformingunifiedapproachesin the work of investigativejudgesthroughout the country.
It is expected that following the training participants will be able to systematize and deepen their knowledge, that will contribute to a uniform interpretation and application of legislation across the country.
Master degree students of the Academy of Justiceunder the SupremeJudicialCouncil expressed their opinion about the learningprocess
Master degree students sharedtheirlearningexperiences,motivationinchoosing the profession of a judgeand the prospectsoffered by the educationalprogram.
Duringtheconversation, theyhighlighted the keyfeatures of training,practicalskillsreceivedat the Academy,and their inspirations to take a professionalpathin the judicialsystem.
The SupremeJudicialCouncildevelops a system for trainingjudicialpersonnel,improves the quality of trainingandensurestransparency of selection. The Academy of Justiceplays a keyroleinthisprocess,forming the necessaryprofessionalcompetencies of futurejudges.
The responses of students reflect their interest in developing the legal system and strengthening the institution of judicial power, demonstrating the modern and open image of the judicial system.
Competitiveselection of judgesin the SupremeJudicialCouncil
AppointmenttojudicialpositionsinKazakhstan is carried out exclusivelybycompetition.
The SupremeJudicialCouncilis the authorizedbody responsible forconductingcompetitiveprocedures.
The SupremeJudicialCouncil is consistentlymodernizing the competitiveselectionprocedureandcurrentlyrepresentsamulti-stage andphasedsystem for evaluatingcandidates.
The following persons canparticipate in the competition:
- persons who have successfullypassed the qualificationexaminationat the Council;
- graduates of the Academy of Justice;
- currentjudgeswhowish to movewithin the system;
- personswhopreviouslyheld a judicialposition.
The competitive selection procedure includes the following stages:
- publication of the announcementandacceptance of documents;
- verification of compliance with requirements;
- comprehensive assessment based on information that cannot be digitized;
- automatedassessment based ondigitalcriteria;
- research of public opinion;
- competency interviews (for candidates who are not current judges);
- meeting of theCompetitiveSelectionCommittee;
- finalmeeting of the SupremeJudicialCouncil.
Allinformationabout the course of the competition,itsstagesandresults is publishedon the officialInternetresource of the Councilanditspagesonsocialnetworks.
The Supreme Judicial Council, under the leadership of the Chairman Dmitriy Malakhov, has increased the number of competitions by optimizing internal processes. At the same time, the quality of the selection has not been reduced, and the requirements for candidates, on the contrary, have been tightened. Such work is aimed at timely filling vacant positions and reducing the burden on current judges.
From October 6 to October 30, 2025, the Academy of Justice under the Supreme Judicial Council launches the third stage of online scholarship courses on the topic «Theoretical and practical aspects of the application of administrative norms and tort law and process, administrative procedural law»
The course is designedforstudents who meet therequirementsforcandidates for theposition of judge in accordance with the ConstitutionalLaw«On the JudicialSystemand the Status of Judges of the Republic of Kazakhstan».
The program is implementedwithin the framework of the Concept on Development of the Academy of Justicefor2025-2027,approved by the Chairman of the CouncilDmitriyMalakhov.
Onlinecourses will allow to deepenprofessionalknowledgeandacquirepracticalskillsnecessaryforfutureworkin the judicialsystem.
The coursedurationis18academichours(classeswill be held2-3timesaweek,from16:30to18:00).
The format of the event is online. The deadline for submitting applications is October 3, 2025.
Upon completion of the training, students will receive a certificate from the Academy of Justice under the Supreme Judicial Council.
At the initiative of the Supreme Judicial Council, representatives of the British judicial system, Rachel Karp, District Judge, Deputy Judge of the High Court, and Margaret Glentworth, District Judge, Judge of the Guardianship Court (retired) visited the Academy of Justice
The representatives of the Supreme Judicial Council, the OSCE, the judicial system of Kazakhstan, the law community, faculty and undergraduates of the Academy of Justice participated in the meeting.
Duringvisit, the internationalexpertsheld a guestlectureon topic about accesstojustice for vulnerablegroups of the population.
The lecturers shared the UK's experience in this area, emphasizing the importance of ensuring equal opportunities for all categories of citizens when applying to the judiciary.
During the lecture, special attention was paid to the implementation of modern technologies, including the use of artificial intelligence in improving the judicial process.
Having shared their own experience, foreign experts noted the importance of integrating innovative approaches to improve access to justice and to ensure the openness of the judicial system.
The meeting aroused great interest among the audience, which served as the basis for a lively discussion. The participants of the meeting actively asked questions on the most relevant aspects and received detailed and meaningful answers from the invited experts.
The visit was a significant event in strengthening the international relations of the Academy of Justice with the support of the Supreme Judicial Council.
The Academy of Justice, with the support of the Supreme Judicial Council, will continue to hold guest lectures by international experts, creating a platform for the exchange of knowledge and best practices. That expands the horizons of undergraduates, helps to take into account foreign experience and increases the professional level of future representatives of the judicial system of Kazakhstan.
The Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council Dmitriy Malakhov took part in the International Forum of Constitutional Justice «Peace and the Future through Law»
The Forum, organized by the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan in honor of the 30th Anniversary of the country's Constitution, brought together more than 150 participants.
The chairmenandjudgesofconstitutionalcontrol bodies,humanrightscommissioners,leading legal scholarsand human rights defendersfrom15countries in Europe,AsiaandAfrica, the representatives of internationalorganizations, advocacy and the scientificcommunity of Kazakhstan aswell as heads of governmentagencies took part in the event.
Speakingat the plenarysession, the Chairman of the CouncilDmitriyMalakhovnoted the importance of the Constitutionas the basis for the independence of the judiciaryandemphasized the role of the SupremeJudicialCouncilin the formation of a professionaljudicialcorps.
Malakhov outlined that strengthening of legal institutions and the exchange of international experience contribute to the development of trust in the judicial system and enhancing of the rule of law.
The Forum was held in three thematic sessions and in a special networking block aimed at strengthening professional partnerships and sharing best practices. This event confirmed the importance of international cooperation and the exchange of experience in the field of constitutional justice, becoming an important platform for dialogue and the development of joint approaches to strengthening the rule of law.
An article by the Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council Dmitriy Malakhov on topic «Formation of courts and strengthening the independence of judges» was published in the «Kazakhstanskaya Pravda» newspaper.
Thearticle describestherole of the SupremeJudicialCouncilas a constitutionalbody. As stipulatedinarticle82 of the Constitution: the appointment of judges at variouslevelsand the formation of the personnelpolicy of the judicialsystem are carried out throughproceduresprovided by the Constitutionandlegislation that.Theseproceduresensure the independenceandprofessionalism of the judiciary.
In the article is notedthat the Council has transformedfrom an advisorybodyunder the Presidentin1995to an independentandautonomousinstitutionwithexpandedpowers.Keystages of developmentinclude the strengthening of functionsin2016, the modernization of competitiveproceduresin2018-2021, andfurtherconsolidation of statusandfunctions through legislativeamendments in 2022-2023.
Today, the SupremeJudicialCouncil is responsiblefor the entirecycle of personneldecisionsfromselection of candidatesand holding the qualificationexamto the formation of a personnelreserveand the promotion of judges. The selectionsystem has becomemulti-staged anddigitized:computertesting,essays,case studies,psychologicaltesting,interviewsand an additionalstage-polygraph. The introduction of digitalandevaluationcriteria,comprehensivepeerreviewandcompetencyinterviewsenhances the objectivity of the process.
Since2019, the JudicialJury, which considersissues of disciplinaryresponsibility of judges, has been transferred to thejurisdiction of the SupremeJudicialCouncil.Thejury has been expanded,and the participation of representatives from differentauthoritiesand the legalcommunitymakesthedecision-making process moreobjective.Recentamendments have strengthened the proceduralsafeguards of judgesindisciplinaryproceedings.
Specialattention is paid to the joining of the Academy of Justiceto the SupremeJudicialCouncilin2024.Thisgave an impetus to the reform of judicialeducation: the Academy's developmentconcept was approved, neweducationalprograms were launched, internationalaccreditation was obtained,and the journalBulletin of the Academy of Justice was includedin the list of scientificpublications.
In conclusion, in the article was emphasized that the key areas of institutional reforms remain the establishment of high standards of the judicial profession, improvement of procedures for the selection and promotion of judges, increase of competitive procedures transparency, strengthening of independence and responsibility guarantees, as well as the involvement of the legal and civil society inti the work of the Council. All these measures help to strengthen public confidence in the judicial system.
The Kazinform news agency published an interview with the Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council Dmitriy Malakhov on issue of formation of the judicialcorpsin Kazakhstan.
The Chairman noted that today there are twowaysto «enter» the judicial profession. The firstis passing a multi-level qualification exam organized by the Supreme Judicial Council, and the secondis through studying at the Academy of Justice and passing a more specificqualification exam upongraduation.
As a result of successfulcompletion of suchexams, applicantsparticipatein a competition to fill thevacantposition of judge.
The Academy of Justiceunder the Councilis the onlyspecializededucationalinstitutionin the countrythatpurposefullytrainsfuturejudges.Alreadytoday, everyfourthjudgeis a graduate of thisAcademy. The requirementsforcandidatesremainhigh:agefrom30years,higherlegaleducation, at leastfiveyears of experience,impeccablereputationandsuccessfulpassing of the qualificationexam.
The mainsources of newpersonnelarestillemployees of the courts.However, lawyers,prosecutors,corporatelawyers, andrepresentatives of the scientificcommunity are increasingly joining thesystem.Thisbalance makes it possible to combineexperienceand a newperspectiveon the development of the judicialsystem.
Separately, the Chairmanstressedthat the personnelshortageremains a challenge:about8% of judicialvacancies have not yetbeenfilled.Tosolvethisproblem the SupremeJudicialCouncil is radicallyoptimizinginternalprocedures byintroducing a multi-level integritycheckandholdingmeetingswith the legalcommunitythroughout the country.
As the Chairman noted, the main task of the Supreme Judicial Council is to form a competent, independent and modern judicial corps, which is a foundation of public confidence in justice.
The Almaty TV channel aired a story about the activities of the Supreme Judicial Council for the selection of judges to the cassation courts and innovations in the judicial selection system.
The taskofselectingexperiencedandprofessionalspecialistswhomeetstrictlegalrequirements to thecassationcourts was announced by the Head of Stateat the IXCongress of Judges on October14, 2024.
Thestorynotesthat the Council has carried out unprecedentedworkon the selection of candidates for thecassationcourts. The mostexperiencedjudgeswithextensiveexperiencein the courts of firstandappellateinstances are recommended, withbroadregionalrepresentation.At the same time, it is emphasizedthat the President's instructionon the formation of cassationcourts has been fulfilledinfullandontime–fromJuly1, 2025, threecassationcourtsforcriminal,civilandadministrativecasesbeganoperatinginKazakhstan.
Specialattentionin the story is focusedonchangesinapproachestostaffingcourts.Thus, the period of passing the qualificationexamforcandidatesapplyingfor a judicialposition for the first time has been reducedfrom one and a halfyearstothreemonths,while the requirementsforcandidates have been significantlytightened–additionalchecks have been introducedondatabases of law enforcementandspecialagenciesforinvolvementin money laundering,drug trafficking,gamblingandotherillegalacts.
As aresult,whilepreviouslyabout50% of applicantssuccessfullypassed the exam,today it isonly20%,whichindicatesanincrease in the quality of selection.Atthe same time, in ordertofilljudicialvacancies in a timely manner, the Councilincreased the number of competitionsfrom2to6peryear,whilemaintaining a highlevel of requirements.
Thisapproach will allownotonly to fillvacantpositionspromptly,butalso to ensure a high-qualityselection of the worthiestcandidates.
At the end of the story, it is noted that the Council's activities are aimed at transparency, strengthening public confidence and improving the effectiveness of the judicial system.