PROCEDURE

The case originated in an application (no. 28433/02) against the Republic of Turkey lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) by a Turkish national, Mrs Fatma Çamdereli (“the applicant”), on 4 May 2002.

The applicant was represented by Mrs N. Bener, a lawyer practising in Bursa. The Turkish Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent.

On 11 June 2007 the Court decided to give notice of the application to the Government. Under the provisions of Article 29 § 3 of the Convention, it decided to examine the merits of the application at the same time as its admissibility.

THE FACTS

I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE

The applicant, a housewife, was born in 1953 and lives in Bursa.

A. The alleged ill-treatment

In her application form the applicant submitted that on 18 February 1999, upon a complaint of Mr M.A.G., gendarmes had taken her to the Görükle gendarmerie station where she was beaten with a truncheon and sworn at by a gendarme.

According to the report drafted by the gendarmes and signed by the applicant, upon the complaint of Mr M.A.G., that she was, inter alia, throwing garbage from her balcony and swearing at him, the gendarmes had arrived at the scene of the incident where they found the applicant to be shouting and disturbing the peace. The applicant had had to be taken to the gendarmerie station as she had failed to stop making a commotion. At the station, she had been orally warned not to disturb her neighbours and then released, since Mr M.A.G. did not wish to lodge an official complaint. In the same report it is stated that the gendarmerie station is situated 150-200 metres from the scene of the incident and that the gendarmes were well acquainted with the applicant due to numerous complaints brought against her by her neighbours regarding her unstable behaviour.

B. The criminal proceedings

On 19 February 1999 the applicant filed an official complaint with the Bursa public prosecutor about the above events and requested the prosecution of those responsible. In addition, she asked to be transferred to the Forensic Medical Institute for a medical examination.

On the same day, at 3.45 p.m., the applicant was examined by a doctor at the Bursa Forensic Medical Institute who noted that she had ecchymoses of 20x10 cm on her left shoulder and arm, an 8x5 cm ecchymosis on her right shoulder, a 6x5 cm ecchymosis on her right arm and an ecchymosis of 4x5 cm on her left thigh. He considered that the injuries rendered the applicant unfit for work for ten days.

On 20 April 1999 the prosecutor heard evidence from the applicant, Mr M.A.G. and Mr M.G.

On 21 April 1999 the prosecutor questioned the accused gendarme, Mr T.Ü. who denied the allegations against him.

On the same day, the prosecutor filed a bill of indictment against Mr T.Ü., Mr M.A.G. and Mr M.G. He accused Mr T.Ü. of ill-treatment under Article 245 of the Criminal Code, and Mr M.A.G. and Mr M.G. of defamation under Article 482.

On 3 May 1999 the criminal proceedings against the accused gendarme Mr T.Ü. and Mr M.A.G. and Mr M.G. commenced before the Bursa Criminal Court of First Instance.

In a hearing held on 28 September 1999, the court heard evidence from witnesses as regards the manner in which the applicant’s arrest took place. In particular, the applicant’s daughter testified that her mother had been pushed and hit with a truncheon. The court also heard submissions from the applicant who stated that Mr M.A.G. and Mr M.G. had insulted her and that the gendarme Mr T.Ü. had hit her with a truncheon at the gendarmerie station.

On 26 December 2000 the Bursa Criminal Court of First Instance decided, in accordance with the relevant provisions of Law no. 4616, that the proceedings against the accused should be suspended and subsequently discontinued if no offence of the same or a more serious kind was committed by the offenders within a five-year period. The applicant’s objection against this decision, notably regarding the application of Law no. 4616, was dismissed on 9 January 2002.

On 23 January 2006 the Bursa Criminal Court of First Instance, noting that the statutory time-limit for the offence had expired, decided to drop the criminal proceedings against the accused.

C. The compensation proceedings

On 17 May 2000 the applicant bought an action in tort against Mr T.Ü. and Mr M.A.G. before the Bursa Civil Court of First Instance. She sought compensation in the amount of 1,500,000,000 Turkish liras [TRL] (approximately 2,700 euros [EUR] at that time) for non-pecuniary damage for the treatment she had received from Mr T.Ü.

On 27 December 2002, after the first-instance court’s judgment had been quashed twice by the Court of Cassation on account of the low amount awarded, the court abided by the decision of the Court of Cassation and ordered Mr T.Ü. to pay the applicant TRL 350,000,000 (approximately EUR 904), together with interest at the statutory rate from 18 February 1999, the date of the ill-treatment. Mr M.A.G. was also ordered to pay a certain amount of compensation to the applicant. In this judgment the court held it established that the applicant had been beaten by Mr T.Ü. at the gendarmerie station. This judgment became final on 17 February 2003 since no one objected to it.

The applicant’s lawyer informed the court that she had been paid the amount awarded in full.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e1
001-87622_a10_em1
CODE
DIRECT
28433/02
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-87622_a10_e2
001-87622_a10_em2
ORG
NO_MASK
Republic of Turkey
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e3
001-87622_a10_em3
DEM
NO_MASK
Turkish
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e4
001-87622_a10_em4
PERSON
DIRECT
Mrs Fatma Çamdereli
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e5
001-87622_a10_em5
DATETIME
QUASI
4 May 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e6
001-87622_a10_em6
PERSON
QUASI
Mrs N. Bener
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-87622_a10_e7
001-87622_a10_em7
LOC
QUASI
Bursa
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e2
001-87622_a10_em8
ORG
NO_MASK
001-87622_a10_em2
Turkish Government
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-87622_a10_e8
001-87622_a10_em9
DATETIME
QUASI
11 June 2007
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-87622_a10_e9
001-87622_a10_em10
DEM
QUASI
housewife
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e10
001-87622_a10_em11
DATETIME
QUASI
1953
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e7
001-87622_a10_em12
LOC
QUASI
Bursa
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e11
001-87622_a10_em13
DATETIME
QUASI
18 February 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e12
001-87622_a10_em14
PERSON
QUASI
Mr M.A.G.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-87622_a10_e13
001-87622_a10_em15
ORG
QUASI
Görükle gendarmerie station
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e14
001-87622_a10_em16
MISC
QUASI
truncheon
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e12
001-87622_a10_em17
PERSON
QUASI
Mr M.A.G.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e12
001-87622_a10_em18
PERSON
QUASI
Mr M.A.G.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e15
001-87622_a10_em19
QUANTITY
QUASI
150-200 metres
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e16
001-87622_a10_em20
DATETIME
QUASI
19 February 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-87622_a10_e17
001-87622_a10_em21
ORG
QUASI
Bursa public prosecutor
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e18
001-87622_a10_em22
ORG
NO_MASK
Forensic Medical Institute
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e19
001-87622_a10_em23
DATETIME
QUASI
3.45 p.m.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e20
001-87622_a10_em24
ORG
QUASI
Bursa Forensic Medical Institute
HEALTH
insert
001-87622_a10_e21
001-87622_a10_em25
MISC
NO_MASK
ecchymoses
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e22
001-87622_a10_em26
QUANTITY
QUASI
20x10 cm
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e23
001-87622_a10_em27
QUANTITY
QUASI
8x5 cm
HEALTH
insert
001-87622_a10_e24
001-87622_a10_em28
MISC
NO_MASK
ecchymosis
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e25
001-87622_a10_em29
QUANTITY
QUASI
6x5 cm
HEALTH
check
001-87622_a10_e24
001-87622_a10_em30
MISC
NO_MASK
ecchymosis
HEALTH
check
001-87622_a10_e24
001-87622_a10_em31
MISC
NO_MASK
ecchymosis
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e26
001-87622_a10_em32
QUANTITY
QUASI
4x5 cm
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e27
001-87622_a10_em33
DATETIME
QUASI
ten days
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e28
001-87622_a10_em34
DATETIME
QUASI
20 April 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e12
001-87622_a10_em35
PERSON
QUASI
Mr M.A.G.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e29
001-87622_a10_em36
PERSON
QUASI
Mr M.G.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e30
001-87622_a10_em37
DATETIME
QUASI
21 April 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e31
001-87622_a10_em38
PERSON
QUASI
Mr T.Ü.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e31
001-87622_a10_em39
PERSON
QUASI
Mr T.Ü.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e12
001-87622_a10_em40
PERSON
QUASI
Mr M.A.G.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-87622_a10_e32
001-87622_a10_em41
PERSON
QUASI
Mr M.G
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e31
001-87622_a10_em42
PERSON
QUASI
Mr T.Ü.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e12
001-87622_a10_em43
PERSON
QUASI
Mr M.A.G.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e29
001-87622_a10_em44
PERSON
QUASI
Mr M.G.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e33
001-87622_a10_em45
DATETIME
QUASI
3 May 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e31
001-87622_a10_em46
PERSON
QUASI
Mr T.Ü.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e12
001-87622_a10_em47
PERSON
QUASI
Mr M.A.G.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e29
001-87622_a10_em48
PERSON
QUASI
Mr M.G.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e34
001-87622_a10_em49
ORG
QUASI
Bursa Criminal Court of First Instance
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e35
001-87622_a10_em50
DATETIME
QUASI
28 September 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e14
001-87622_a10_em51
MISC
QUASI
truncheon
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e12
001-87622_a10_em52
PERSON
QUASI
Mr M.A.G.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e29
001-87622_a10_em53
PERSON
QUASI
Mr M.G.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e31
001-87622_a10_em54
PERSON
QUASI
Mr T.Ü.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-87622_a10_e14
001-87622_a10_em55
MISC
QUASI
truncheon
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e36
001-87622_a10_em56
DATETIME
QUASI
26 December 2000
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e34
001-87622_a10_em57
ORG
QUASI
Bursa Criminal Court of First Instance
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e37
001-87622_a10_em58
DATETIME
QUASI
five-year
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e38
001-87622_a10_em59
DATETIME
QUASI
9 January 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e39
001-87622_a10_em60
DATETIME
QUASI
23 January 2006
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e34
001-87622_a10_em61
ORG
QUASI
Bursa Criminal Court of First Instance
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e40
001-87622_a10_em62
DATETIME
QUASI
17 May 2000
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e31
001-87622_a10_em63
PERSON
QUASI
Mr T.Ü.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e12
001-87622_a10_em64
PERSON
QUASI
Mr M.A.G.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e41
001-87622_a10_em65
ORG
QUASI
Bursa Civil Court of First Instance
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-87622_a10_e42
001-87622_a10_em66
QUANTITY
QUASI
1,500,000,000 Turkish liras [TRL] (approximately 2,700 euros [EUR] at that time)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e31
001-87622_a10_em67
PERSON
QUASI
Mr T.Ü.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e43
001-87622_a10_em68
DATETIME
QUASI
27 December 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e44
001-87622_a10_em69
ORG
NO_MASK
Court of Cassation
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e44
001-87622_a10_em70
ORG
NO_MASK
Court of Cassation
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e31
001-87622_a10_em71
PERSON
QUASI
Mr T.Ü.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-87622_a10_e45
001-87622_a10_em72
QUANTITY
QUASI
TRL 350,000,000 (approximately EUR 904)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e11
001-87622_a10_em73
DATETIME
QUASI
18 February 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e12
001-87622_a10_em74
PERSON
QUASI
Mr M.A.G.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e31
001-87622_a10_em75
PERSON
QUASI
Mr T.Ü.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87622_a10_e46
001-87622_a10_em76
DATETIME
QUASI
17 February 2003
Fatma Çamdereli
TUR
CHAMBER
Task: Annotate the document to anonymise the following person: Fatma Çamdereli