Officials who fail to appear in court may face penalties

In Uzbekistan, officials who fail to appear in court without valid reasons may be subject to court fines. This provision is included in a draft law aimed at creating more convenient conditions for citizens and entrepreneurs to apply to economic and administrative courts, which was presented today, January 20, at a regular session of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis.

The draft law provides for a fundamental reform of the administrative justice system, introducing modern mechanisms aligned with international standards. In particular, it proposes a number of amendments and additions to the Code of Administrative Responsibility, the Code of Administrative Court Proceedings, and the Law on State Duty.

Under the draft, the rights of citizens and entrepreneurs who act in good faith based on decisions or documents issued by state bodies will be strictly protected. It is proposed to legally enshrine the principle that individuals who have conducted their activities honestly should not be held liable for mistakes made by state authorities.

One of the most significant innovations in the draft law is the introduction of mandatory participation of officials from state bodies in court hearings. If officials fail to attend court sessions without justified reasons, courts will be authorized to impose fines on them. This measure is intended to increase the accountability of state institutions and ensure genuine adversarial proceedings and transparency in court processes.

The draft also introduces the institution of a preliminary hearing in administrative court proceedings. This stage will allow for the collection of evidence, clarification of claims, and reconciliation of the parties before the main court hearing. As a result, the time required to consider cases is expected to decrease, along with related court costs.

In addition, it is proposed to grant administrative courts direct authority to impose administrative liability for contempt of court or failure to comply with special court rulings. This is expected to further strengthen the authority and effectiveness of the judiciary.

Another important issue discussed at the session concerned easing court-related expenses for debtors. According to the draft law, if insolvency proceedings are initiated against a debtor by a creditor, the state tax service, or another authorized body, and the case is not considered under a special procedure, the state duty paid by the debtor will be refunded. This measure is aimed at preventing unnecessary financial costs associated with repeated applications.

Following the discussion, the draft law was approved by deputies in principle and adopted at its first reading.

It is worth noting that earlier it was reported that the use of patronymics as surnames may be permitted.