Robakhon Mahmudova appointed new chair of Supreme Court of Uzbekistan

Robakhon Mahmudova has been appointed the new chair of the Supreme Court of Uzbekistan, following her election by the Senate on June 18. The proposal for her appointment came from President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Mahmudova, 67, has a notable background in Uzbek politics and law. Since January 2024, she has led the Social Democratic Party Adolat (Justice). Prior to this, from July 2020, she served as the first deputy chair of the Supreme Court, overseeing the judicial panel for administrative cases.

In 2023, Mahmudova ran as the Adolat candidate in Uzbekistan's snap presidential election, securing 4.43% of the vote and finishing second to the re-elected Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Her judicial duties were temporarily suspended during this campaign period.

Her platform during the presidential race included proposals to increase the number of judges, expand judicial specializations, strengthen the legal profession, reform law enforcement, de-commercialize healthcare, and prevent divorce. She graduated from the Law Faculty of Tashkent State University in 1983 and has held various positions, including chair of the Criminal Court of Fergana region and head of the President’s Public Reception Office in the region.

The former chair, Bakhtiyor Islamov, was dismissed the same day, with his term originally set to continue until August 2027. This appointment follows a recent presidential meeting focused on combating judicial corruption, which led to a decree establishing a Compliance Control Service within the Supreme Court.