Digital Law Forum
December 10, 2025

Opening Ceremony of the Forum

Moderator: Tattu Mambetalieva

• Azamat Saadatbekovich Zhamangulov— Minister of Digital Development and Innovations of the Kyrgyz Republic
• Almazbek Zhumabekovich Usenov— Director of the State Agency for Personal Data Protection under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic

Key discussion idea: How can trust in AI systems be built through legislation, transparency, and ethics?

Key topics for discussion:

• National AI regulation strategies: what experiences are worth attention?
• Legal responsibility of algorithms and developers: from “black boxes” to transparent decision-making.
• Ethical standards and local values: adapting global AI principles to regional contexts.
• Regional cooperation: is there potential for a unified cyberlaw framework on AI in Central Asia?

Moderator: Alexander Partin (RPPA)

Speakers:

• Dastan Bekeshev— Elected Member of the Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrgyz Republic
• Yekaterina Smyshlyayeva— Member of the Mazhilis of the Republic of Kazakhstan
• Denis Sadovnikov— Head of Data Protection, Chief Legal Counsel at Yango Group
• German Sabirov— Chief Legal Counsel, Sberbank PJSC (Russia)
• Behzod Ismoilov— Executive Director, AICA (Uzbekistan)

Tattu Mambetalieva, Lead Partner of the Digital Legislation Development Consortium, Team Lead of the Digital Code drafting group

Lunch break

Key discussion idea: Platform ecosystems have become the main arteries of the digital economy, yet their increasing concentration of power calls for new rules of the game. The discussion will focus on balancing innovation, fair competition, and the protection of national interests in the digital environment.

Key topics for discussion:

• Ecosystems and platforms: where does competition end and digital monopoly begin?
• Regulation of telecom and IT markets in an era of service convergence.
• Cooperation among antimonopoly authorities in Central Asia – a step toward unified digital competition principles.
• Cross-sector ecosystems (fintech, e-commerce, logistics, telecom) and risks of dominance abuse.
• Prospects for regional antimonopoly compliance frameworks.
• Creation of new types of digital regulators – between technical oversight and competition justice.
• Harmonization of digital antimonopoly laws in the Eurasian and Asian contexts.

Moderator: Irina Baikulova — Deputy Director of NLC; Director of AIDA (Kyrgyzstan)

Speakers:

• Łukasz Grzejdziak— Assistant Professor, Head of the Public Procurement and Public-Private Partnership Centre, Faculty of Law and Administration, University of Lodz (Poland)
• Xiaoming Zhou— Deputy Director, Joint Institute of International Organizations and Law, Wuhan University (China)
• Shohnazar Holnazarzoda— Deputy Head of the Communications Service under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan
• Syrgak Keneshovich Omorov— Deputy Chairman of the Antimonopoly Regulation Service under the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic
• Ministry of Digital Development and Innovation Technologies of the Kyrgyz Republic / Service for Regulation and Supervision in the Telecommunications Industry

Guest: Denis Sadovnikov — Head of Data Protection, Chief Legal Counsel, Yango Group

Moderator: Tattu Mambetalieva

Key discussion idea: informal conversation with a person standing at the intersection of technology, business, and the future. A live intellectual dialogue about meaning, ethics, and how technologies are redefining professions, borders, and statehood. The goal is to inspire participants to look beyond regulations and compliance—to see the future of the digital world through the eyes of those who are building it. Technologies are rewriting the world’s code—but the most important question is: who is writing it, and why? 

Key discussion idea: Using data as a strategic development resource for Central Asia — how to combine economic growth, security, and public trust.

Key topics for discussion:

• Where is the boundary between data protection and digital development?
• Cross-border data flows and digital sovereignty — protecting state and business interests.
• Emerging privacy threats: AI, biometrics, big data, surveillance.
• Prospects for a Central Asian Data Protection Charter— an agreement on free data exchange.
• Jurisdictional conflicts: how can businesses comply with multiple data protection regimes?
• Opportunities for regional harmonization and mutual recognition of standards.
• Corporate responsibility and transparency in data use.
• Balance of power among citizens, the state, and platforms: who owns the digital identity?

Moderator: Alexey Muntyan — Founder of the Regional Privacy Professionals Association, Partner at Privacy Advocates

Speakers:

• Louis-Philippe Gratton — Privacy Consultant; Member of the Quebec Bar; PhD (France), LLM (Canada, Switzerland)
• Kirill Zyubanov— Head DPO, Wildberries (Russia)
• Kylym Madalbekov— Deputy Director, State Agency for Personal Data Protection under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic
• Kubanych Shatemirov— Executive Director, Sky Mobile LLC; Member of the National AI Council (Kyrgyzstan)
• Yrysty Zhalilkhanova— Head of the Personal Data Protection Development Department, Information Security Committee, Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan

For participants:

For any questions regarding registration, the event program, and logistics, please email askar@dlaw.kg or call +996555599909. We will be happy to assist you and provide additional information.