President's Speeches

Honourable President of the Court of Accounts,

Honourable Vice-Presidents and Members of the Constitutional Court,

Honourable President of the General Assembly of Civil Chambers of the Court of Cassation,

Honourable Acting President of the Council of Judges and Prosecutors,

Honourable President of the Justice Academy of Türkiye,

Honourable President of the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Türkiye,

Distinguished Governors of the Provinces of Adana and Mersin,

Distinguished Head of the Governance Section of the European Union Delegation to Türkiye,

Distinguished Head of the Council of Europe Programme Office in Ankara,

Esteemed Chief Public Prosecutors and Heads of the Justice Commissions of Adana and Mersin Courts,

Esteemed Presidents and Chief Public Prosecutors of the Regional Courts of Appeal of Adana and Mersin,

Esteemed Presidents of the Regional Administrative Courts of Adana and Mersin,

Distinguished Judges and Public Prosecutors,

Distinguished Representatives of the European Union and the Council of Europe,

Esteemed Academics,

Distinguished Members of the Press,

Honoured Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Türkiye and on my own behalf, I extend my warmest greetings to you all. It is my distinct pleasure to welcome you to this meeting.

Today, we convene in Adana for the final meeting in our series of regional meetings, following those successfully held in İstanbul, Gaziantep, Bursa, Erzurum, İzmir, Trabzon and Diyarbakır.

Today also marks the closing of the European Union–Council of Europe Joint Project on Supporting the Effective Implementation of the Turkish Constitutional Court Judgments in the Field of Fundamental Rights.

At the outset, I would like to express my great pleasure at joining you in the historic city of Adana for this meaningful occasion. Throughout its long history, Adana has been a crossroads of cultures and civilizations. With its fertile lands, productive economy, warm hospitality and strong sense of community, it occupies a unique place among the cities of Türkiye.

Centred around the River Seyhan, this distinguished city has long been not only a thriving economic and cultural centre but also an important symbol of the longstanding tradition of peaceful coexistence among diverse communities. I therefore find it particularly meaningful that we have come together in such a historic city to engage in discussions on fundamental rights, the rule of law and human dignity.

Distinguished Guests,

The regional meetings, enriched by the participation and presentations of esteemed Members and Rapporteur-Judges of the Constitutional Court, as well as our distinguished colleagues from the Court of Cassation, the Council of State and the regional courts of appeal, have so far brought together a total of 1,539 judges and public prosecutors. At today’s meeting, we are pleased to welcome 73 judges and public prosecutors from the ordinary judiciary, as well as 36 judges from the administrative judiciary.

These regional meetings serve two principal objectives. The first is to foster effective and productive cooperation between the Constitutional Court and all other judicial bodies by further strengthening judicial dialogue and cooperation.

The second objective is to ensure the effective implementation of the erga omnes and inter partes effects of the Turkish Constitutional Court judgments finding a violation in individual application cases. In this context, the aim is to secure the prompt execution of judgments finding a violation and, in particular, to address the areas in which the Court most frequently finds violations in individual applications, as well as the recurring issues underlying those violations. It also seeks to highlight the erga omnes implications of the reasoning set out in these judgments, thereby contributing to the swift and effective administration of justice at the highest possible standard.

The sessions taking place today and tomorrow will feature highly insightful presentations on the erga omnes and inter partes effects of the Constitutional Court’s judgments. I would like to express my gratitude to the session chairs and our esteemed colleagues who will be delivering presentations.

It is my sincere hope that both today’s meeting with the ordinary judiciary and tomorrow’s meeting with the administrative judiciary will be successful and fruitful.

Distinguished Guests,

The project we conclude today is much more than a technical cooperation initiative. It rests on the firm understanding that constitutional rights cannot be safeguarded in legal texts alone, and that what truly matters is the effective realisation of these rights in everyday life.

The true strength of the rule of law derives not merely from the existence of legal norms but from their effective implementation. Likewise, constitutional safeguards acquire their real meaning not solely through judicial decisions, but also through their reflection in social life, judicial practice and the functioning of public authorities.

The ultimate objective of constitutional justice is not merely to find violations, but, more importantly, to foster constitutional awareness and a culture of implementation aimed at preventing future violations. It is precisely this objective that the project we are concluding today has sought to achieve.

On this occasion, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the European Union and the Council of Europe for their invaluable support and contribution to this project. I would also like to extend my special thanks to the Council of Europe Programme Office in Ankara and to Mr William Massolin. The constructive approach, sincere cooperation, and strong spirit of partnership demonstrated throughout the project from its inception to its successful completion have been greatly appreciated. This project has once again reaffirmed the indispensable role of international solidarity and institutional cooperation in advancing the protection of human rights.

Distinguished Participants,

The individual application mechanism represents one of the most profound reforms in the history of Turkish law. Introduced by the constitutional amendment of 2010 and approved by the Turkish people through a referendum, it marked the beginning of a new era in the constitutional protection of fundamental rights in Türkiye.

The progress achieved by the individual application mechanism so far clearly reflects the importance and tangible results of our joint efforts and institutional cooperation.

Since 23 September 2012, a total of 739,417 individual applications have been lodged with the Constitutional Court, of which 637,274 have been concluded.

According to the latest statistics, since the introduction of the individual application mechanism on 23 September 2012, the Constitutional Court has received a total of 739,417 individual applications. Out of these, 637,274 have been concluded, amounting to approximately 86 per cent of all applications. As of today, 102,143 applications remain pending before the Court.

While these figures reflect the confidence of the citizens in the Turkish Constitutional Court and the individual application mechanism, they also underscore the considerable workload of the Court. Above all, they demonstrate the steadily increasing effectiveness of the individual application mechanism, made possible by the institutional capacity developed over the years, an expanding body of case-law, and strengthened cooperation among judicial institutions.

Indeed, through its judgments, the Court has gone beyond providing redress for individual grievances and has made a significant contribution to the development of constitutional standards for the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms. The Court has delivered approximately 87,000 judgments finding a violation, including those concerning the right to a trial within a reasonable time. This clearly underscores the pivotal role the individual application mechanism has played in advancing a rights-based legal culture.

Moreover, thanks to the effective dialogue established in recent years among the high courts, regional courts of appeal, regional administrative courts and first-instance courts, awareness of the subsidiary nature of the individual application mechanism has been significantly reinforced. There is a growing recognition that the protection of fundamental rights is not the sole responsibility of the Constitutional Court, but a shared responsibility across all levels of the judiciary.

The individual application mechanism is primarily intended to ensure more effective protection of fundamental rights and freedoms at the national level. It also serves as an effective domestic remedy, enabling human rights disputes to be resolved within the national legal system without recourse to international bodies.

The experience gained over the years has clearly demonstrated that this mechanism has produced highly significant results in achieving these objectives. Through the mechanism, the Court has developed a substantial body of case-law covering a wide range of rights, including but not limited to the right to life, freedom of expression, the right to personal liberty and security, the right to a fair trial, the right to property, and the right to respect for private life.

In addition to providing redress for individual grievances, the judgments delivered through this process have made a significant contribution to enhancing human rights standards within the Turkish legal system.

Indeed, since the introduction of the individual application mechanism, many disputes concerning fundamental rights and freedoms have been effectively resolved within the domestic legal system, thereby reducing the number of applications lodged with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and strengthening the effectiveness of domestic mechanisms for the protection of human rights.

However, it should be underlined that the success of the individual application mechanism cannot be assessed solely on the basis of the judgments delivered by the Court. Its true success lies in the extent to which those judgments are reflected in the decisions of the first-instance courts, the regional courts of appeal, the regional administrative courts, administrative practice, and society as a whole. The project we are concluding today has made a significant contribution to achieving this objective.

Esteemed Guests,

Drawing on good practices from across Europe and comparative analyses, the project produced a number of valuable expert studies. It also generated comprehensive assessments aimed at ensuring the more effective, consistent, and systematic implementation of judgments delivered in individual application cases.

A particularly noteworthy outcome of the project was the roadmap prepared to facilitate the more effective implementation of the Court’s judgments by the first-instance courts. It identified the principal challenges to implementation and put forward practical recommendations for strengthening implementation processes. It has contributed significantly to both the assessment of existing practices and the further development of institutional capacity.

One of the project’s most significant achievements has been the strengthening of the digital infrastructure for monitoring the implementation of the Court’s judgments more effectively. As part of this effort, the Turkish Constitutional Court’s Decisions/Judgments Database has been comprehensively renewed. A more practical and functional platform has been established, enabling access to all categories of decisions/judgments through a single system. By taking advantage of advancements in software and technology, the technical infrastructure has been modernised, search and filtering functions have been expanded, and faster and more effective access to decisions/judgments has been ensured.

In addition, new digital tools and platforms have been developed to support the monitoring of the implementation of judgments, as well as the collection and analysis of relevant data.

The initiatives implemented under the European Union and the Council of Europe Joint Project have significantly enhanced the visibility and accessibility of the Court’s judgments. They have also established a robust and sustainable monitoring system for assessing, evaluating, and institutionally monitoring the implementation of those judgments. As a result, a lasting institutional capacity has been created to further strengthen the effectiveness of the individual application mechanism and the practical impact of the Court’s judgments.

I am pleased to announce that, as of today, the new version of the Decisions/Judgments Database is officially available to the public.

Distinguished Guests,

Another key component of the project was the secondment programme organised within international institutions. A comprehensive programme was designed to enable the Court’s rapporteur-judges, judges from the Human Rights Department of the Ministry of Justice, as well as judges of the Court of Cassation and the Council of State to gain first-hand experience of the European human rights system and the implementation of the ECHR’s judgments. Under the programme, a total of 50 participants completed three-month secondments at the Registry of the ECHR and various departments of the Council of Europe.

Through these programmes, participants gained not only valuable theoretical knowledge but also first-hand experience of the functioning of the European human rights system. They had the opportunity to examine closely the mechanisms for the implementation and supervision of judgments and to benefit from the experience of different jurisdictions. We are confident that the knowledge and experience acquired through this process have made a significant contribution to strengthening institutional capacity through the transfer of knowledge and good practices to the participants’ respective institutions.

These secondments have also contributed to fostering mutual understanding and closer cooperation between the Turkish judiciary and the European human rights mechanisms, facilitating the exchange of good practices and further strengthening international judicial dialogue. I would like to emphasise that such exchanges are of great value in promoting a shared legal culture in the field of human rights protection.

The regional meetings organised under the project also yielded highly valuable outcomes. Held in numerous cities across Türkiye, including İstanbul, Diyarbakır, Trabzon and Erzurum, the meetings brought together a total of 1,539 judges and prosecutors. Beyond serving as platforms for knowledge-sharing, these meetings fostered close dialogue and cooperation among members of the judiciary at different levels.

In particular, the constructive approach and cooperative spirit demonstrated throughout the project by the regional courts of appeal, the regional administrative courts, the Court of Cassation, and the Council of State played an important role in its successful implementation. Their active engagement enabled direct dialogue between the high courts and the first-instance courts, facilitated the exchange of views on practical challenges, and contributed to the development of common approaches to addressing those challenges.

The opportunity for judges and prosecutors serving at different levels of the judiciary to come together on the same platforms not only promoted the exchange of knowledge and experience but also contributed significantly to greater consistency in case-law. These meetings enabled first-instance courts to become directly acquainted with the latest case-law of the high courts and their approach to the protection of fundamental rights, while allowing the high courts to gain first-hand insight into the needs and expectations arising from judicial practice. This mutual exchange has been instrumental in enhancing the quality of judicial services.

Through these meetings, greater awareness and a common understanding have been fostered regarding the binding force of the Court’s judgments, the subsidiary nature of the individual application mechanism, and the shared responsibility of all judicial authorities in safeguarding fundamental rights. This has, in turn, strengthened institutional dialogue between the high courts and the inferior courts, thereby contributing significantly to the effective implementation of the rule of law and a rights-based approach to adjudication throughout the judiciary.

The training activities carried out for lawyers also yielded highly valuable results. Through programmes organised across Türkiye, a total of 798 lawyers enhanced their knowledge of the individual application mechanism. In addition, the integration of the online training materials into the digital platform of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations has helped ensure the long-term sustainability of the project.

Through the training activities organised for judges and prosecutors, a total of 981 members of the judiciary received training, thereby contributing to the more effective implementation of the Turkish Constitutional Court’s case-law in judicial practice.

The project also included round-table meetings with legal professionals from the ECHR, as well as study visits to Strasbourg, Madrid, Paris and Venice. These activities contributed significantly to fostering international judicial dialogue.

In particular, engagement with the departments responsible for the execution of the judgments of the ECHR has played an important role in strengthening institutional capacity for the implementation of Constitutional Court judgments.

Esteemed Participants,

Today, we are witnessing the emergence of a new phase in constitutional justice. Whereas the primary concern in the past was the identification of rights violations, what is more important today is ensuring that constitutional judgments produce effective consequences within the legal system. The challenge today is not merely to deliver judgments, but to ensure that they are effectively implemented by first-instance courts, observed by public authorities, contribute to the prevention of future violations, and foster a legal culture founded upon rights and justice throughout society.

This is because the true safeguard of constitutional rights lies not only in the existence of high courts, but also in ensuring that constitutional principles are fully embedded throughout the legal system. This requires the active commitment of all institutions.

It is of paramount importance that first-instance courts take due account of the constitutional principles established by the Constitutional Court, that the legislative and executive branches contribute to addressing the structural problems underlying violations of rights, and that academia, bar associations, and the media support the development of a robust culture of constitutional rights. For the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms is not the responsibility of a single court alone, but a shared responsibility of society as a whole.

The constructive dialogue among the Constitutional Court, the higher courts, the first-instance courts, academia, and the legal profession plays a vital role in promoting a deeper understanding of constitutional principles, fostering the development of shared standards, and reinforcing legal certainty.

Accordingly, we consider the regional meetings not merely as venues for sharing knowledge and experience, but as important platforms for consolidating a shared constitutional culture and promoting meaningful judicial dialogue.

Distinguished Guests,

The very essence of human rights is the protection of human dignity. Protecting human dignity, in turn, requires a commitment to living together with our differences.

Today, in many parts of the world, wars, xenophobia, racism, discrimination, Islamophobia, and hate speech pose serious threats to human rights and to the culture of peaceful coexistence. At such times, the need for the rule of law, an independent judiciary, and effective human rights institutions becomes even more pressing. It is therefore essential to preserve the values of democracy, the rule of law, and human rights that constitute the very foundation of the Council of Europe.

The individual application mechanism is undoubtedly one of the most significant constitutional guarantees for safeguarding a democratic state governed by the rule of law and founded on respect for human dignity, as well as fundamental rights and freedoms and our common constitutional values.

In closing, I wish to express my sincere gratitude to all those whose commitment and dedication contributed to the successful implementation of this project. I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the European Union; the Council of Europe, its Ankara Programme Office, and Mr. William Massolin; the Council of Judges and Prosecutors; the Justice Academy of Türkiye; the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Türkiye; the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye; the Ministry of Justice; the Court of Cassation; and the Council of State. I also wish to convey my heartfelt gratitude to all our judicial institutions, particularly the Regional Courts of Appeal and Regional Administrative Courts in İstanbul, Gaziantep, Bursa, Erzurum, İzmir, Trabzon, and Diyarbakır, the Union of Turkish Bar Associations and local bar associations, all ministries that supported the project, and the law enforcement officers, judges, prosecutors, lawyers, academics, rapporteur-judges, and administrative staff who devoted their valuable efforts to the successful implementation of the project.

It is my sincere hope that this programme and its outcomes will further strengthen the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms in the country.

Distinguished Guests,

Esteemed Colleagues,

As I conclude my remarks, I wish to express my conviction that our meetings over the next two days, with their focus on strengthening the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms, will make a lasting contribution to the advancement of justice, the consolidation of the rule of law, and the continued development of a strong human rights culture.

I would like to thank you all for your participation and valuable contributions. I sincerely hope that this meeting will yield positive outcomes for the country, the nation, and the legal system.

I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to the Governors of Adana and Mersin; the Chief Public Prosecutors of Adana and Mersin; the Heads of the Justice Commissions; the President and the Chief Public Prosecutor of the Adana Regional Court of Appeal; and the President of the Regional Administrative Court for their warm hospitality and valuable contributions.

Distinguished Colleagues,

If one seeks a long life, one should be just. The same applies to states. Indeed, justice is the enduring value that sustains not only individuals but also societies and nations.

On this occasion, I would like to conclude my remarks by quoting the following lines:

“When Justice and Truth stand side by side,

No task will falter, no step will slide;

When the Almighty’s gaze comes to call,

What happens to the deeds that failed the truth?”

I extend my respectful greetings and warm regards to you all.