Board of Members and Secretaries General Meetings, and the international symposium held on 26-27 August 2021 as part of the activities of the Association of Asian Constitutional Courts and Equivalent Institutions (AACC) have ended.

Representatives from the member countries of the AACC as well as from the international organisations attended the events held via video conference due to the precautions of COVID-19 pandemic. 

During the symposium organised by the Constitutional Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan, term president of the AACC, on the 30^th anniversary of Kazakhstan’s independence, Turkey was represented by President of the Constitutional Court Mr. Zühtü Arslan, Secretary General Mr. Murat Şen and Deputy Secretary General Mr. Yücel Arslan.

At the Initial Board of Members Meeting, it was decided that the Constitutional Court of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan be granted membership of the Association, that cooperation would be established as well as an agreement would be signed between the Conference of European Constitutional Courts and the AACC, and that the AACC would participate in the 5^th Congress of the World Conference on Constitutional Justice. It was also agreed that the new term presidency would be assumed by the Constitutional Court of Mongolia in accordance with the principle decision taken previously and that the next term presidency (2023-2025) would be delegated to the Constitutional Court of the Kingdom of Thailand.

Delivering a short speech at the meeting held on the first day, Mr. Zühtü Arslan, President of the Constitutional Court, conveyed his congratulations on the 30^th anniversary of Kazakhstan's independence and presented his compliments to the Constitutional Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan that had been successfully undertaking the presidency for two years. President Arslan, pointing to their endorsement for the cooperation agreement between the Conference of European Constitutional Courts and the Association of Asian Constitutional Courts and Equivalent Institutions, also expressed his satisfaction with the expansion of the Association with the participation of the Constitutional Court of Jordan as the 20^th member.

On the second day of the organisation, the international symposium on “The Internet Era, the Rule of Law, the State Independence” as well as the Final Board of Members Meeting were held.

In the first session of the symposium, President Arslan made a presentation titled "The Judicial Protection of the Basic Rights at the Age of Internet: The Example of the Turkish Constitutional Court”. In his speech, President Arslan stated that while the Internet, which radically changed the everyday life, provided numerous advantages, it also brought about formidable challenges, and drew attention to the difficulty in making regulations regarding the Internet for the protection of fundamental rights. He mentioned the judgments of the Constitutional Court regarding the protection of rights in the internet age and striking of a balance between competing rights.

President Arslan indicated that as the constitutional justices they had to protect the rule of law, fundamental rights and freedoms and other values of individuals against the threats of the Internet era, which mainly stemmed from disproportionate interferences of governments and social media corporations, and the misuse of the Internet. He ended his speech by citing the words of great Kazakh poet and thinker Abay, “justice is the mother of all virtues”. President Arslan also moderated the third session of the symposium, themed "State and State Power: Strengthened Responsibility to Society and the Individual".

Mr. Murat Şen, Secretary General of the Constitutional Court, presented the activity report of the AACC Centre for Training and Human Resources Development at the Meeting of the Board of Members and Secretaries General.

Click here for President Zühtü Arslan’s speech.