Strengthening constitutional rights through administrative and constitutional justice: The case of the Republic of Kazakhstan

ISSN 0718-0195 · Vol. 23 · Núm. 1 · 2025 · pp. x-xx · DOI: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Strengthening constitutional rights through administrative and constitutional justice: The case of the Republic of Kazakhstan Reforzar los derechos constitucionales a través de la justicia administrativa y constitucional: el caso de la República de Kazajstán Nurolla Yessenzholov1 Mukhtar Baktybekov*2 Maigul Matayeva3 Eldana Maishekina4 Dinara Raziyeva5 Abstract: The article is aimed at studying the current stage of development of constitutional and administrative justice in the Republic of Kazakhstan on the basis of the practice of specialized administrative courts and the Constitutional Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The results of the study are of theoretical importance, as the result of this study is a generalization of the legal practice of administrative and constitutional justice, therefore demonstrating the unified orientation of the legal policy in the sphere of ensuring the constitutional rights of citizens. Keywords: Administrative law, constitutional law, specialized inter-district administrative courts, Constitutional Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan, legal policy. Resumen: El objetivo del artículo es estudiar la etapa actual de desarrollo de la justicia constitucional y administrativa en la República de Kazajstán sobre la base de la práctica de los tribunales administrativos especializados y del Consejo Constitucional de la República de Kazajstán. Los resultados del estudio tienen importancia teórica, ya que el resultado de este estudio es una generalización 1 Nurolla Yessenzholov is a Master, Doctoral Student at the Department of State Law Disciplines, Alikhan Bokeikhan University. ORCID: 0009-0005-9747-0440. E-mail: . 2 Mukhtar Baktybekov is a Master, Senior Lecturer at the Department of State Law Disciplines, Alikhan Bokeikhan University. ORCID: 0009-0003-7853-6200. E-mail: . 3 Maigul Matayeva is a Full Doctor, Professor at the Department of State Law Disciplines, Alikhan Bokeikhan University. ORCID: 0009-0002-4189-7822. E-mail: . *Corresponding author. 4 Eldana Maishekina is a PhD, Senior Lecturer at the Department of State Law Disciplines, Alikhan Bokeikhan University. ORCID: 0009-0006-7318-1166. E-mail: . 5 Dinara Raziyeva is a PhD, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Civil Law Disciplines, Alikhan Bokeikhan University. ORCID: 0009-0007-5758-881X. E-mail: . Artículo recibido el 02.09.2024 y aceptado para publicación el 15.01.2025 157 Strengthening constitutional rights through administrative and constitutional justice: The case of the Republic of Kazakhstan de la práctica jurídica de la justicia administrativa y constitucional, demostrando así la orientación unificada de la política jurídica en el ámbito de la garantía de los derechos constitucionales de los ciudadanos. Palabras clave: Derecho administrative, derecho constitucional, tribunales administrativos interdistritales especializados, Consejo Constitucional de la República de Kazajstán, política jurídica. 1. Introduction In the process of developing the rule of law State of the Republic of Kazakhstan (RK) and improving the judicial authorities to ensure the constitutional rights of citizens, the institutions of administrative and constitutional justice play a particular role. With the adoption of the updated Concept of Legal Policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan until 2030, the issues of norm-making and law enforcement in the spirit of building a human-centric state are of paramount importance for the study and improvement. The Concept of Legal Policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan is based on the principles of Law Enforcement. The legal policy of such a state is based on the individual (citizen) as the highest social value. The mechanism for building a society based on the rule of law is the proper implementation of the right of citizens in the vital spheres: education, social protection, employment, and health care, through state administration and the judicial system, including constitutional and administrative justice6. Undoubtedly, the basic mechanisms for ensuring such rights are laid down in the institutions of constitutional and administrative justice7. The data mentioned above were obtained through the use of several research methods and materials. Theoretical methods such as analysis, synthesis, and generalization were employed to examine judicial practices within specialized inter-district administrative courts and the Constitutional Council. This involved breaking down complex legal concepts, court rulings, and legislative documents to understand how they align with administrative law practices and constitutional protections. An in-depth legal analysis was conducted on constitutional guarantees of human rights, focusing on the transformation of the Constitutional Council into the Constitutional Court and the development of administrative justice. Comparative analysis was used to explore the legal systems of other countries, particularly regarding the implementation of constitutional complaints, providing context for Kazakhstan’s legal evolution. Empirical data were drawn from court rulings, particularly in public-administrative disputes, as well as statistical records of appeals in administrative courts. The study also examined normative 6 Dosanova, Ermekbaev (2019), pp. 176-184. 7 Czachor (2024), pp. 187-205. ISSN 0718-0195 · Vol. 23 · Núm. 1 · 2025 · pp. x-xx · DOI: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 158 N. Yessenzholov M. Baktybekov M. Matayeva E. Maishekina D. Raziyeva artículo de investigación decisions and the legal positions of the Constitutional Council, along with the Concept of Legal Policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan until 2030. Case studies were applied to assess specific legal disputes, offering concrete examples of challenges in defining administrative court jurisdiction. Finally, generalization methods were applied to identify trends and patterns, allowing broader conclusions to be drawn regarding the functioning of constitutional and administrative justice in Kazakhstan. An important element of Kazakhstan’s legal system is the institutions of constitutional and administrative justice, which play a crucial role in ensuring the rule of law and protecting citizens’ rights8. The Constitutional Court, which replaced the Constitutional Council, has become the main body of constitutional control in the country, expanding the opportunities for both citizens and government bodies to file constitutional complaints9. This allows citizens to challenge the legality of normative legal acts applied to them in specific cases, thereby providing more reliable protection of their constitutional rights. As for administrative justice, specialized inter-district administrative courts in Kazakhstan play a key role in protecting citizens’ rights and freedoms, particularly in resolving disputes related to the activities of executive authorities10. At the same time, one of the main tasks for the further (...truncated)