Association of Asian Constitutional Courts and Equivalent Institutions

Center for Training and Human Resources Development (CTHRD)

12^th Summer School Programme

"The Use of Information Technologies and Artificial Intelligence in the Higher Judiciary"

Ankara
1 October 2024

Distinguished Participants,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like extend you all my most sincere and respectful greetings. It is a great pleasure to be here and address such eminent participants. We are deeply honoured to welcome you to Ankara, our capital city. I sincerely hope that the Summer School programme will be successful and fruitful, and that have an enjoyable and memorable time in Ankara and Türkiye.

In its capacity as the Center for Training and Human Resources Development, one of the three permanent secretariats of the Association of Asian Constitutional Courts and Equivalent Institutions (AACC), the Turkish Constitutional Court is proud to host the 12^th Summer School programme. We are always delighted and honoured to join together with participants from different parts of the world on the occasion of these annual events.

Distinguished Participants,

Let me notably emphasise that such events not only serve formal objectives and outputs, but also encompass a social dimension. Through communication, people connect, build mutual understanding, and foster trust and confidence. Dialogue is of paramount importance for setting common ideals and goals and collaborating in pursuit of these ideals and goals. Today, we have the honour hosting guests from Asia and Europe, as well as from Africa. This event provides you, our young and distinguished jurists, with an exceptional opportunity not only to interact and build connections with colleagues from equivalent institutions worldwide but also to work towards shared ideals for humanity.

During your visit of a couple of days, I encourage you not to confine yourself to only obtaining an insight into the academic discussions. Besides academic gains, I sincerely wish that the bonds and communication you establish here will serve as a lasting foundation of solidarity throughout your career. Such enduring relationships will be instrumental in achieving the exact purpose of this gathering. I firmly believe that the fellowship and communication cultivated on the occasion of this event will continue to flourish throughout your professional life and contribute significantly to the good administration of justice in the future.

I firmly believe that each of you possesses the potential to build a career what will lead to significant positions in the legal system and administrative fields of your own countries. Allow me to remind you that when you embark on these significant responsibilities, you must strive to ensure that justice and the rule of law are upheld and prevail not only in your own countries, but also throughout the world. That is because, justice and peace constitute two basic indispensable elements underpinning the shared future of humanity. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that you always act and decide in pursuance of justice. In this sense, you should bear in mind that justice is a universal concern for humanity and serves as the strongest assurance of peace. At every stage of the legal procedures, you are expected to adopt a proportionate and fair approach affirming the supremacy of justice, as well as to uphold these principles throughout your professional life and pass them to future generations. I kindly recommend you all to fulfil your responsibilities and duties with this awareness in mind. 

Distinguished guests,

I attended the 6^th Congress of the Association of Asian Constitutional Courts and Equivalent Institutions (AACC) hosted last week by the Constitutional Court of the Kingdom of Thailand in Bangkok. During the Board of Members meetings held as part of the Congress, we engaged in a fruitful exchange of views on various issues with our counterpart institutions in Asia. We also seized the opportunity to give an insight into the Summer School Programme and the activities performed by the Turkish Constitutional Court, acting as the Center for Training and Human Resources Development. I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Constitutional Court of the Kingdom of Thailand once again for their outstanding organisation of this event.

The Congress was marked by the unanimous adoption of the Bangkok Declaration by all participating members of the AACC.  This paramount instrument reaffirms the commitment to human rights and the rule of law and calls for solidarity to uphold and preserve these values. The Declaration also calls attention to the grave violations of human rights currently taking place in Palestine and expresses the pressing need for solidarity. It further points to the significance of actions that must be taken to raise awareness on climate change. The participating members then expressed their best wishes for the success of the upcoming conference in Azerbaijan.

In May, I attended the XIX Congress of the Conference of European Constitutional Courts, hosted by the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Moldova in Chișinău. We had a really fruitful academic programme during the well-attended Congress, where we also engaged in consultations with our European colleagues. At the end of this month, I will also participate in the 7^th Congress of the Conference of African Constitutional Courts, which will be organised by the Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe in Victoria Falls. We will there have the opportunity to interact with our colleagues from the African continent.

Distinguished Participants,

It is both a privilege and a profound pleasure to welcome you all as we convene today with 53 eminent participants from 27 nations. The 12th of the Summer School Programmes builds on the legacy of previous years, which have focused on pivotal themes of human rights. In this regard, preceding programmes have covered in-depth elaboration on various issues, including but not limited to, the freedom of expression, the presumption of innocence, and the right to respect for private life.  This year, we are focusing on a topic of growing relevance: the utilisation of information technologies and artificial intelligence in the higher judiciary. In an era where artificial intelligence increasingly underpins the effective and efficient management of legal processes, it is crucial for judicial institutions to rigorously explore how these technological advancements can be best utilised and seamlessly integrated into our judicial systems. 

As higher judicial bodies, we are all confronted with particularly heavy workload. Allow me to illustrate this with an example: the Turkish Constitutional Court receives over 100,000 individual applications annually. In addition, the Court is tasked with adjudicating cases of constitutionality review. Therefore, the effective management of such volume of workload necessitates the utilisation of emerging technologies, which has become not merely an option but a compelling imperative for us all. At the Turkish Constitutional Court, we already make extensive use of the UYAP (National Judiciary Informatics System) and other digital platforms. It is worth noting that approximately 90% of our judgments are inadmissibility decisions, which are processed entirely through UYAP. Nevertheless, there are still further steps we need to take to improve and optimise our system.

Naturally, I will not discuss every detail of this topic, as my colleagues from the Court have already provided comprehensive and valuable information. However, I would like to reiterate our unwavering commitment to integrating artificial intelligence into our systems to harness the potential of advancing technologies more effectively. I am confident that the exchange of knowledge and experiences facilitated throughout this summer school programme will offer us new insights and valuable guidance in this endeavour.

Before concluding my remarks, I would like to draw your attention to one additional point. Your invitation to our country is not confined solely to your participation in academic programmes and discussions, which are undoubtedly -through the exchange of knowledge, professional development, and legal debates- of great significance and indeed constitute a substantial part of the primary objective of this programme. There is another equally important dimension to such gatherings. Beyond serving as an academic platform, these events also provide an opportunity to experience and appreciate social and cultural heritage.

Our aim is not only to introduce you to the historical and cultural richness of our country but also to ensure that you have an enjoyable and memorable time together. In this context, following the intensive academic programme, we have planned a one-day social excursion to Cappadocia. I am of the opinion that social activities are an essential complement to academic programmes. Such events should not only provide platforms for knowledge exchange and deliberations but also create opportunities for communication and interaction among participants. The connections established during this event will not only enrich your experience here but also enhance your professional journeys in the future, laying a strong foundation for collaboration and solidarity. I wish you all a delightful and refreshing experience. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to each and every one of you for your remarkable commitment and active participation over the past two days, making the effort to engage with the programme with such dedication.

As you get ready to return to your respective countries, I wish you, your families, and your loved ones a life of health, tranquillity, prosperity and success. With the hope of a long and fulfilling journey of life ahead, I would like to extend my deepest respect and warmest greetings.