Reading and adoption of the final declaration of the 20th Meeting of the Heads of Supreme Courts of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states

According to the Judiciary’s Media Center, during the closing ceremony of the 20th Meeting of the Heads of Supreme Courts of SCO member states, held in Hangzhou, China, with the presence and speech of Mohseni Ejei and heads of judicial systems of SCO member states, a joint declaration was read and adopted.

The declaration stated that representatives of the supreme courts of SCO member states collectively focused on promoting the “Shanghai Spirit,” fostering a high-level judicial cooperation environment, engaging in deep dialogues, and reaching consensus on issues such as judicial sovereignty, cybersecurity, judicial applications of artificial intelligence, the role of the judiciary in preventing and resolving disputes, judicial protection of minors, and combating terrorist crimes.

The declaration emphasized strengthening and deepening judicial interactions and cooperation among SCO member states in seven key areas, outlined as follows:

1 - Based on the fundamental principles of the “Shanghai Spirit,” cooperation among member states in various fields is developed around five key principles:

·        Mutual Trust and Benefit: Strengthening economic and security relations through bilateral and multilateral agreements, emphasizing the developmental needs of countries.

·        Equality and Consultation: Establishing consultative mechanisms based on respect for national sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs, particularly in regional security and counter-terrorism.

·        Respect for Cultural Diversity: Supporting cultural and educational exchanges to enhance mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence.

·        Joint Development: Coordinating infrastructure and energy projects to create commercial transport routes and reduce judicial barriers, using successful international cooperation experiences in addressing challenges like climate change and collective security as a model for regional convergence.

·        Peace and Peaceful Coexistence: Upholding sovereignty and territorial integrity without interfering in internal affairs, resolving disputes through peaceful negotiations based on international law.

Supreme courts of member states are committed to maintaining the tradition of unity and cooperation, supporting the international system centered on the United Nations, an international order based on international law, and contributing positively to building a more effective SCO for peace, security, stability, and prosperity in the region.

2 -  To promote a thriving and healthy cyberspace, supreme courts of member states, respecting the sovereignty of all countries and adhering to international cyberspace laws, aim to deepen practical cooperation in cybersecurity and digital governance, enhance judicial cooperation mechanisms to combat cybercrimes, prevent and address cross-border cybercrimes, and strengthen the protection of personal data privacy.

3 - To strengthen international judicial cooperation and leverage modern technologies, supreme courts will collaborate on exchanging digital judicial experiences, integrating innovative technological achievements such as artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, block chain, and the internet, as well as models that enhance the development of smart judicial systems.

4 - Given the increasing workload of judicial systems in member states, supreme courts aim to play an effective role in improving judicial quality and efficiency and offering diverse, cost-effective dispute resolution methods, including for international commercial disputes. They are eager to utilize each other’s valuable experiences in conflict resolution, promote and develop diverse dispute resolution mechanisms, arbitration, mediation, and other non-litigious dispute resolution methods.

5 - Supreme courts are committed to the principle of prioritizing the best interests of minors, actively addressing crimes that violate their rights and interests, and prioritizing the improvement of judicial protection for minors. Judicial support for minors effectively creates a legal environment for their healthy growth, ensuring their right to survive and thrive in a safe environment.

6 - Supreme courts strongly oppose terrorism, separatism, and extremism, expressing their commitment to deepening cooperation in combating violent terrorist crimes and extremism, strengthening international criminal judicial cooperation in the region, addressing transnational crimes, and playing a constructive role in consolidating peace, security, and stability in the region.

7 - Supreme courts aim to actively expand communication platforms and cooperation mechanisms, including exchanges and visits among judicial personnel, collaboration in judge training, case exchanges, and jointly enhancing professional capabilities and comprehensive qualities.

The heads and judicial representatives of SCO member states agreed to hold the 21st Meeting of the Heads of Supreme Courts of the SCO in 2026, hosted by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

This declaration was adopted on April 23, 2025, in Hangzhou, China.