ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Court Chairperson Elvira Azimova outlined reforms the country has implemented since the start of the year at the International Chief Justice Forum on Aug. 9-11 in Jakarta, Indonesia, reported the court’s press service.
“Protection of human rights is a fundamental principle of a just and democratic society. Constitutional oversight bodies play a key role in ensuring respect for these rights,” she noted.
Azimova spoke about the work Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Court has carried out since its launch in January.
She noted that in addition to government entities, all citizens, including the Commissioner for Human Rights and the Prosecutor General, can apply directly to the Constitutional Court to confirm the compliance of Kazakhstan’s laws and other regulatory legal acts with the country’s constitution.
Azimova suggested that the ultimate goal of all constitutional courts and other equivalent bodies of constitutional oversight is to achieve a reasonable legal balance between the interests of the state and society.
“Guiding principles should be the rule of law and the protection of human rights,” she added, stressing the need to consider global and regional challenges.
The forum, under the theme Strengthening Democracy through Constitutional Jurisdictions: Past, Present and Future, covered current issues and future directions for strengthening democracy through constitutional jurisdictions.
The participants exchanged views on the evolving role of constitutional justice in the history of state development, sharing progressive ideas for promoting constitutionalism and the rule of law in the Asian region.
The forum, organized by the Constitutional Court of Indonesia, was attended by delegations from over 30 countries, including Algeria, Angola, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Namibia, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand and Türkiye.