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In the countries of the MENA region, who is entitled, and under which conditions to file a complaint against perceived violations of his or her constitutional rights? What are the jurisdictional procedures of the defense of basic rights (e.g., direct constitutional complaint or exception of unconstitutionality)? What are the legal effects of decisions dealing with the defence of fundamental rights? How are the decisions enforced? Did such decisions have an impact on lower courts jurisdiction or result in amending laws?

From March 12 to 13, 2018, the Rule of Law Programme Middle East / North Africa of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung is organizing an expert workshop on “Constitutional Review Procedures for the Protection of Fundamental Right - Recent changes, challenges and reform trends” in Cadenabbia, Italy. The objective is to examine existing procedures for the protection of fundamental rights within the constitutional framework in the MENA countries, their use and effects. Achievements and challenges regarding already existing and newly introduced procedures will be discussed along with jurisprudence and its impact, recent trends and reforms for an efficient and effective handling of individual rights protection procedures.

In recent years, the institutions charged with constitutional review in the countries of the MENA region are being reformed (e.g., Morocco, Tunisia), some have been established for the first time (e.g., Bahrain in 2002, Iraq in 2004 or Saudi Arabia in 2009). At the same time, by introducing new procedures, such as the „question prioritaire de constitutionnalité“, awareness of the protection of fundamental rights was strengthened.

A comprehensive analysis of the procedures adopted by the various countries and their implications in the MENA region does not yet exist. The organized meeting of constitutional law experts from the countries of the region aims to close this gap.