Constitutional Court reports over 108,000 individual applications in 2023

The Constitutional Court has disclosed the statistics on individual applications from September 23, 2012, when the right to individual application was introduced, to December 31, 2023, on its website.

According to the data, within the 11 years, 579,754 individuals made individual applications to the Constitutional Court. Out of these applications, 484,711 have been concluded, while the number of pending cases (still under review) is reported as 95,043.

Among the cases resolved so far, decisions were made on 395,309 cases of 'inadmissibility,' 72,560 cases of 'violation of at least one right,' 13,498 cases of 'administrative rejection,' and 1,333 cases where 'no violation of rights' was determined.

Additionally, decisions such as 'dismissal, case closure, rejection of the application' were reached in 2,011 cases.

In its rulings, the Constitutional Court identified a total of 73,700 instances of human rights violations. The number of applications related to the 'right to a fair trial' saw a significant increase, reaching 4,240, while the applications on the 'right to property' amounted to 4,238. Applications concerning 'freedom of expression' reached 4,131, 'organization of meetings and demonstrations' 1,403, 'protection of private and family life' 1,266, 'prohibition of ill-treatment' 590, 'right to personal liberty and security' 305, 'right to life' 227, and 'prohibition of discrimination' 140.

Notably, there was a substantial surge in the number of applications claiming the violation of the 'right to a trial within a reasonable time' in 2023, surpassing 49,000. The total number of applications over the 11 years reached 143,696, with decisions made in 139,012 of them.

The individual application system

The individual application system is a mechanism that allows any person in Turkey to lodge a complaint with the Constitutional Court if they consider that their rights and freedoms have been violated by a public authority. It was introduced in 2012 as part of the constitutional amendments and inspired by the European Court of Human Rights.

One purpose of the system is to reduce the workload of the ECtHR by providing an effective domestic remedy. The Constitutional Court reviews the applications in terms of admissibility and merits, and decides whether there has been a violation of the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution and the ECHR. (RT/VK)