President of the Constitutional Court Mr. Kadir Özkaya, in his address at the 1^st Congress of the Conference of Constitutional Jurisdictions of the Turkic World (TÜRK-AY), underlined that constitutional justice is no longer confined within the bounds of national legal systems, but is increasingly shaped by universal principles of law and the case-law of international courts. President Özkaya emphasised that “Cooperation among constitutional courts and higher judicial bodies is of critical importance for strengthening the rule of law, ensuring a more effective protection of individual rights, and promoting the administration of justice on a global scale.”

The 1^st Congress of TÜRK-AY, bringing together the constitutional courts of the Republic of Türkiye, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, was held on 16 July 2025 in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. President Özkaya was accompanied at the Congress by Justice Mr. Rıdvan Güleç and Justice Mr. İrfan Fidan, Deputy Secretary-General Mr. Yılmaz Çınar, and Director of the Department of International Relations Mr. Korhan Pekcan.

Turkish Constitutional Court Took the Lead in the Institutionalisation of TÜRK-AY

In his opening remarks, President Özkaya stated that TÜRK-AY was established upon the initiative of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Türkiye with a view to upholding the rule of law and protecting human rights in the member states of the Organization of Turkic States, as well as to fostering dialogue on matters of mutual interest and enhancing cooperation. Noting that the Constitutional Court of Türkiye had served as the first term president of TÜRK-AY until handing over this role to the Constitutional Court of Azerbaijan on 27 April 2025, President Özkaya highlighted the efforts made during Türkiye’s term to strengthen the institutional framework of TÜRK-AY, enhance its efficiency, and expand its impact.

Cooperation among Constitutional Courts is Essential for Global Administration of Justice

Expressing his confidence that TÜRK-AY would reach new heights under the term presidency of the Constitutional Court of Azerbaijan, President Özkaya stated:
“In our globalised world, constitutional justice is no longer shaped solely within national borders but is guided by universal legal principles and international jurisprudence. For this reason, cooperation among constitutional courts and high judicial bodies is of critical importance to fortify the rule of law, to provide a more effective protection of individual rights, and to advance the administration of justice worldwide. Your esteemed presence here has provided a valuable opportunity to jointly reflect on the shared challenges facing constitutional justice and to exchange experiences. The 1^st Congress of TÜRK-AY will serve as a valuable platform for the sharing of knowledge and expertise, as well as for developing common responses to global issues encountered in the field of constitutional justice. Moreover, the gathering of the presidents of TÜRK-AY member courts on this occasion represents a significant step towards reinforcing not only our current spirit of solidarity and cooperation, but also our institutional relations for the years to come.”

During the congress, presentations were delivered on the national reports prepared by TÜRK-AY member courts within the framework of the 6^th Congress of the World Conference on Constitutional Justice. Justice Mr. Rıdvan Güleç presented the report on behalf of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Türkiye. The participants also exchanged views to further deepen cooperation in the field of constitutional justice and explored avenues for strengthening ties between TÜRK-AY and other international organisations operating in this field.

The Supreme Court of the TRNC Admitted as an Observer Member of TÜRK-AY

During the congress, the Supreme Court of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was admitted as an observer member of TÜRK-AY. The congress concluded with the adoption of the Baku Declaration of the 1^st TÜRK-AY Congress.

Memorandum of Understanding Signed with the Constitutional Court of Azerbaijan

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed with a view to strengthening the enduring and close cooperation between the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Türkiye and the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and to fostering new joint projects at the international and regional level.