The term presidency of the Conference of Constitutional Jurisdictions of the Turkic World (TÜRK-AY), so far undertaken by the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Türkiye, was handed over to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan during an official handover ceremony.

The Special Session Board of Members of TÜRK-AY, which was established on 27 April 2022 with a view to protecting and reinforcing the rule of law and human rights, enhancing cooperation, and promoting dialogue among the member and observer states of the Organization of Turkic States, was held in İstanbul on the occasion of the 63^rd anniversary of the Turkish Constitutional Court. The special session, convening on 27 April 2025, was inaugurated by the opening remarks of Mr. Hasan Tahsin Gökcan, Vice-President of the Turkish Constitutional Court.

Vice-President Gökcan noted that TÜRK-AY united its member states with the objective of contributing to the advancement of human rights and constitutional justice, fostering a more prosperous Turkic World, so as to strongly reflect the unity of the Turkic World -rooted in a shared language and history- across other fields. Recalling that, during the Secretaries General Meeting of TÜRK-AY, the parties agreed on the transfer of the term presidency of TÜRK-AY to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Vice-President Gökcan expressed the satisfaction on behalf of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Türkiye, as the Permanent Secretariat of TÜRK-AY, to hand over the term presidency that it has so far undertaken with honour and dedication to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Following the opening remarks by Vice-President Gökcan, the chairmen/judges of the constitutional courts forming TÜRK-AY took the floor. In their remarks, Mr. Bakyt Nurmukhanov, Deputy Chairman of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr. Emil Oskonbaev, Chairman of the Constitutional Court of the Kyrgyz Republic, and Mr. Akmal Rakhmanov, Judge of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Uzbekistan, stated that TÜRK-AY was serving as a distinguished platform within the framework of its founding objectives and ongoing activities. They also extended their sincere gratitude to the Turkish Constitutional Court for its successful leadership thus far and congratulated the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan on assuming the term presidency, affirming their unwavering support.

“We are committed to being a constant and constructive partner in the future endeavours of TÜRK-AY”

Mr. Kadir Özkaya, President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Türkiye, emphasised that TÜRK-AY, intended to foster enduring and systematic cooperation among the constitutional judicial institutions of Turkic-speaking nations, reinforced the spirit of solidarity in constitutional justice by not only focusing on shared legal values but also emphasising common language, culture, and history. President Özkaya pointed to the significant contributions by TÜRK-AY to the promotion of justice, peace, and legal stability in the Turkic World by establishing enduring institutional cooperation within the framework of the rule of law, in addition to its historical and cultural ties. He further noted “In the short yet meaningful period since the establishment of TÜRK-AY, our shared commitment to strengthening the rule of law, constitutional justice, and a judiciary rooted in human rights within the Turkic World has been realized through tangible steps and has evolved into an institutional framework.”

Extending his best wishes to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the new term president of TÜRK-AY, President Özkaya stated, "In the name of the Turkish nation and the Court, I would like to reaffirm that we are committed to being a constant and constructive partner in the future endeavours of TÜRK-AY.

“TÜRK-AY has made significant contributions to the Turkic World”

Mr. Fərhad Abdullayev, Chairman of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan, which will hold the term presidency of TÜRK-AY for the next two years, stated that since its establishment, TÜRK-AY engaged in highly successful initiatives and made significant contributions to the Turkic World. He emphasised that the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan will continue, during its term presidency, to work diligently to further strengthen the cooperation among TÜRK-AY members bound by shared roots and cultural heritage. He also expressed his gratitude for the efforts undertaken thus far to advance and strengthen TÜRK-AY, and extended his congratulations on the 63^rd anniversary of the Turkish Constitutional Court.

At the handover ceremony, Mr. Kadir Özkaya, President of the Constitutional Court of Türkiye, handed over the symbol of the TÜRK-AY presidency to Mr. Fərhad Abdullayev, Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Azerbaijan.

The Special Session of the TÜRK-AY Board of Members concluded with a family photo.