The Closing Event of the Joint Project on “Supporting the Effective Implementation of Turkish Constitutional Court Judgments in the Field of Fundamental Rights” marked the successful completion of a 57-month initiative that has contributed to the effective implementation of European standards in the field of human rights in Türkiye.
The event brought together 250 participants, including senior representatives of key judicial and public institutions, the Constitutional Court, the Ministry of Justice, the high courts, the Justice Academy, the Council of Judges and Prosecutors, regional courts, bar associations and human rights institutions, alongside international partners from the Council of Europe and the European Union.
The opening session of the event featured remarks by the Head of the Council of Europe Programme Office in Ankara, the Head of the Governance Section of the European Union Delegation to Türkiye, and the President of the Constitutional Court of Türkiye. The President of the Constitutional Court of Türkiye, Kadir Özkaya, underlined the importance of the Project, stating: “The true strength of the rule of law stems not only from the existence of norms, but from their effective implementation.” He further emphasised that the ultimate aim of constitutional justice is not merely to identify violations, but to foster a constitutional awareness and a culture of implementation that will prevent their recurrence.
The thematic session focused on the objective and subjective effects of the violation judgments rendered in individual application and the challenges encountered in practice. Presentations addressed the impact of the Constitutional Court judgments in criminal and civil proceedings, and examined issues related to retrial and execution of the Turkish Constitutional Court judgments in the field of human rights.
In the afternoon, regional roundtable discussions held with the participation of rapporteur judges of the Turkish Constitutional Court and judges and prosecutors of general jurisdiction provided a forum for exchanging experiences and good practices on the implementation of fundamental rights standards at the regional level.
The closing event provided a valuable opportunity to mark the Project’s accomplishments and reaffirm the vital and ongoing role of judicial dialogue and effective remedies in safeguarding fundamental rights in Türkiye. Since 2021, the Project has supported the more effective implementation of Turkish Constitutional Court judgments on fundamental rights, with a particular focus on strengthening the application of the case law of the Turkish Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights by the judiciary and other legal professionals.
The Project reflects the longstanding co-operation between Türkiye, the Council of Europe and the European Union, and their shared commitment to reinforcing the rule of law and protecting fundamental rights. As this initiative concludes, it leaves a lasting legacy of strengthened institutional capacity and enhanced judicial co-operation, which will continue to contribute to the advancement of human rights in Türkiye.
The Joint Project on “Supporting the Effective Implementation of Turkish Constitutional Court Judgments in the Field of Fundamental Rights” is co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe. The Turkish Constitutional Court is the end beneficiary of the Project.
