PROCEDURE

The case originated in an application (no. 20775/03) 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 eight Turkish nationals, Mr Yetgin Adırbelli, Mr Havil Adırbelli, Mr Gülek Adırbelli, Mr Metin Goran, Mr Mehmet Goran, Mr Ali Nas, Mr Beşir Gasyak, and Mr Resul (Malğaz) Kervanoğlu (“the applicants”), on 12 April 2003.

The applicants were represented by Mr T. Elçi, a lawyer practising in Diyarbakır. The Turkish Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent.

On 14 September 2007 the President of the Second Section decided to give notice of the application to the Government. It was also decided to examine the merits of the application at the same time as its admissibility (Article 29 § 3).

THE FACTS

I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE

At the time of the events giving rise to the application, the applicants were members of the People’s Democratic Party (DEHAP) in Şırnak.

On 27 January 2003 a soldier was killed in an armed attack on the İdil Second Military Battalion.

Following the incident, the İdil and Şırnak public prosecutors initiated investigations.

On 28 January 2003 the İdil public prosecutor requested the İdil Magistrates’ Court to authorise the security forces to conduct searches at the applicants’ houses, under Article 94 of the former Code of Criminal Procedure.

On the same day, by decision no. 2003/7, the court granted the request and authorised the security forces to conduct one search during the daytime at the applicants’ homes with a view to obtaining evidence.

On 28 January 2003, between 7 and 8.30 a.m., the applicants and ten other persons were arrested in their houses by officers from the anti‑terrorist branches of the İdil and Şırnak police headquarters. According to the house search, seizure and arrest reports, they were arrested “in connection with the armed attack and in accordance with a decision of the İdil Magistrates’ Court (decision no. 2003/7)”. During the house search, the security forces seized music compact discs from the houses of Beşir Gasyak and Resul Kervanoğlu. Amongst those discs found in the former’s house, certain allegedly contained separatist propaganda. Nothing was found in the other applicants’ houses.

On 29 January 2003 the deputy director of the İdil police headquarters sent a letter to the İdil public prosecutor requesting that the applicants’ detention period be extended for a further two days. In his letter, the deputy director maintained that the applicants were considered to have been involved in the armed attack on the police. On the same day, the İdil public prosecutor extended the period of the applicants’ detention as requested.

Ali Nas and Beşir Gasyak made statements to the police on 29 January 2003; Havil Adırbelli, Resul Kervanoğlu and Metin Goran did so on 30 January 2003 and Yetgin Adırbelli, Gülek Adırbelli and Mehmet Goran on 31 January 2003. They were asked whether they had been involved in the armed attack of 27 January 2003. Beşir Gasyak was also questioned about the Kurdish music compact discs that had been found in his house. The applicants all maintained that they had been in their homes at the time of the incident and that they had had no involvement in the armed attack.

During their detention in police custody, on 30 January 2003 Havil Adırbelli, Metin Goran, Ali Nas, Beşir Gasyak and Resul Kervanoğlu had a meeting with their representative, Mr Elçi, upon their request. Yetgin Adırbelli, Gülek Adırbelli and Mehmet Goran did not request a lawyer.

In a letter dated 31 January 2003 the deputy director of the İdil police headquarters sent a letter to the İdil public prosecutor’s office informing the latter of the police operation. According to this letter, the police had files on six of the applicants. In particular, there had been investigations in respect of Havil Adırbelli, Ali Nas, Beşir Gasyak and Gülek Adırbelli in the 1980s and 1990s as they had been suspected of aiding and abetting the PKK (the Kurdistan Workers’ Party), an illegal organisation. Furthermore, Yetgin Adırbelli had been arrested on suspicion of being in possession of a firearm and there had been an investigation in respect of Metin Goran as he had been suspected of forgery.

On the same day, the applicants were brought before the İdil public prosecutor. The prosecutor decided to release Yetgin Adırbelli, Havil Adırbelli, Gülek Adırbelli, Mehmet Goran, Metin Goran, Ali Nas and Resul Kervanoğlu and to refer Beşir Gasyak to the single judge of the İdil Magistrates’ Court, who subsequently ordered his release.

On 28 February 2003 the İdil public prosecutor decided to refer the investigation to the public prosecutor’s office at the Diyarbakır State Security Court, holding that the latter had jurisdiction to conduct the investigation.

On 12 March 2003 the public prosecutor at the Diyarbakır State Security Court issued a decision not to prosecute, on the ground that there was insufficient evidence to initiate criminal proceedings against the applicants.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e1
001-89995_a10_em1
CODE
DIRECT
20775/03
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-89995_a10_e2
001-89995_a10_em2
ORG
NO_MASK
Republic of Turkey
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e3
001-89995_a10_em3
DEM
NO_MASK
Turkish
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e4
001-89995_a10_em4
PERSON
DIRECT
Mr Yetgin Adırbelli
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e5
001-89995_a10_em5
PERSON
QUASI
Mr Havil Adırbelli
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e6
001-89995_a10_em6
PERSON
QUASI
Mr Gülek Adırbelli
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e7
001-89995_a10_em7
PERSON
QUASI
Mr Metin Goran
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e8
001-89995_a10_em8
PERSON
QUASI
Mr Mehmet Goran
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e9
001-89995_a10_em9
PERSON
QUASI
Mr Ali Nas
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e10
001-89995_a10_em10
PERSON
QUASI
Mr Beşir Gasyak
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-89995_a10_e11
001-89995_a10_em11
PERSON
QUASI
Mr Resul (Malğaz) Kervanoğlu
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check
001-89995_a10_e12
001-89995_a10_em12
DATETIME
QUASI
12 April 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e13
001-89995_a10_em13
PERSON
QUASI
Mr T. Elçi
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e14
001-89995_a10_em14
LOC
QUASI
Diyarbakır
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e2
001-89995_a10_em15
ORG
NO_MASK
001-89995_a10_em2
Turkish Government
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e15
001-89995_a10_em16
DATETIME
QUASI
14 September 2007
POLITICS
insert
001-89995_a10_e16
001-89995_a10_em17
ORG
QUASI
People’s Democratic Party (DEHAP)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e17
001-89995_a10_em18
LOC
QUASI
Şırnak
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e18
001-89995_a10_em19
DATETIME
QUASI
27 January 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-89995_a10_e19
001-89995_a10_em20
ORG
QUASI
İdil Second Military Battalion
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check
001-89995_a10_e20
001-89995_a10_em21
ORG
QUASI
İdil
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check
001-89995_a10_e17
001-89995_a10_em22
ORG
QUASI
Şırnak
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check
001-89995_a10_e21
001-89995_a10_em23
DATETIME
QUASI
28 January 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e20
001-89995_a10_em24
ORG
QUASI
İdil
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check
001-89995_a10_e22
001-89995_a10_em25
ORG
QUASI
İdil Magistrates’ Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e23
001-89995_a10_em26
CODE
DIRECT
2003/7
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check
001-89995_a10_e21
001-89995_a10_em27
DATETIME
QUASI
28 January 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-89995_a10_e24
001-89995_a10_em28
DATETIME
QUASI
7 and 8.30 a.m
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-89995_a10_e25
001-89995_a10_em29
QUANTITY
QUASI
ten
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-89995_a10_e26
001-89995_a10_em30
ORG
NO_MASK
anti‑terrorist branches
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e20
001-89995_a10_em31
ORG
QUASI
İdil
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e17
001-89995_a10_em32
ORG
QUASI
Şırnak
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check
001-89995_a10_e22
001-89995_a10_em33
ORG
QUASI
İdil Magistrates’ Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e23
001-89995_a10_em34
CODE
DIRECT
2003/7
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e10
001-89995_a10_em35
PERSON
QUASI
001-89995_a10_em10
Beşir Gasyak
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check
001-89995_a10_e11
001-89995_a10_em36
PERSON
QUASI
001-89995_a10_em11
Resul Kervanoğlu
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check
001-89995_a10_e27
001-89995_a10_em37
DATETIME
QUASI
29 January 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e20
001-89995_a10_em38
ORG
QUASI
İdil
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check
001-89995_a10_e20
001-89995_a10_em39
ORG
QUASI
İdil
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-89995_a10_e28
001-89995_a10_em40
DATETIME
NO_MASK
two days
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e20
001-89995_a10_em41
ORG
QUASI
İdil
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e9
001-89995_a10_em42
PERSON
QUASI
001-89995_a10_em9
Ali Nas
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e10
001-89995_a10_em43
PERSON
QUASI
Beşir Gasyak
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e27
001-89995_a10_em44
DATETIME
QUASI
29 January 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e5
001-89995_a10_em45
PERSON
QUASI
001-89995_a10_em5
Havil Adırbelli
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correct
001-89995_a10_e11
001-89995_a10_em46
PERSON
QUASI
Resul Kervanoğlu
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e7
001-89995_a10_em47
PERSON
QUASI
001-89995_a10_em7
Metin Goran
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check
001-89995_a10_e29
001-89995_a10_em48
DATETIME
QUASI
30 January 2003
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check
001-89995_a10_e4
001-89995_a10_em49
PERSON
DIRECT
001-89995_a10_em4
Yetgin Adırbelli
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-89995_a10_e6
001-89995_a10_em50
PERSON
QUASI
001-89995_a10_em6
Gülek Adırbelli
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check
001-89995_a10_e8
001-89995_a10_em51
PERSON
QUASI
001-89995_a10_em8
Mehmet Goran
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check
001-89995_a10_e30
001-89995_a10_em52
DATETIME
QUASI
31 January 2003
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check
001-89995_a10_e18
001-89995_a10_em53
DATETIME
QUASI
27 January 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e10
001-89995_a10_em54
PERSON
QUASI
Beşir Gasyak
ETHNIC
insert
001-89995_a10_e31
001-89995_a10_em55
MISC
QUASI
Kurdish music
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e29
001-89995_a10_em56
DATETIME
QUASI
30 January 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e5
001-89995_a10_em57
PERSON
QUASI
Havil Adırbelli
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e7
001-89995_a10_em58
PERSON
QUASI
Metin Goran
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e9
001-89995_a10_em59
PERSON
QUASI
Ali Nas
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e10
001-89995_a10_em60
PERSON
QUASI
Beşir Gasyak
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e11
001-89995_a10_em61
PERSON
QUASI
Resul Kervanoğlu
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check
001-89995_a10_e13
001-89995_a10_em62
PERSON
QUASI
001-89995_a10_em13
Mr Elçi
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correct
001-89995_a10_e4
001-89995_a10_em63
PERSON
DIRECT
Yetgin Adırbelli
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e6
001-89995_a10_em64
PERSON
QUASI
Gülek Adırbelli
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e8
001-89995_a10_em65
PERSON
QUASI
Mehmet Goran
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e30
001-89995_a10_em66
DATETIME
QUASI
31 January 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e32
001-89995_a10_em67
ORG
QUASI
İdil police headquarters
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e20
001-89995_a10_em68
ORG
QUASI
İdil
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e5
001-89995_a10_em69
PERSON
QUASI
Havil Adırbelli
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e9
001-89995_a10_em70
PERSON
QUASI
Ali Nas
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e10
001-89995_a10_em71
PERSON
QUASI
Beşir Gasyak
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e6
001-89995_a10_em72
PERSON
QUASI
Gülek Adırbelli
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e33
001-89995_a10_em73
DATETIME
QUASI
1980s and 1990s
POLITICS
insert
001-89995_a10_e34
001-89995_a10_em74
ORG
QUASI
PKK (the Kurdistan Workers’ Party)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e4
001-89995_a10_em75
PERSON
DIRECT
Yetgin Adırbelli
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e7
001-89995_a10_em76
PERSON
QUASI
Metin Goran
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e20
001-89995_a10_em77
ORG
QUASI
İdil
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e4
001-89995_a10_em78
PERSON
DIRECT
Yetgin Adırbelli
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e5
001-89995_a10_em79
PERSON
QUASI
Havil Adırbelli
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e6
001-89995_a10_em80
PERSON
QUASI
Gülek Adırbelli
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e8
001-89995_a10_em81
PERSON
QUASI
Mehmet Goran
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e7
001-89995_a10_em82
PERSON
QUASI
Metin Goran
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e9
001-89995_a10_em83
PERSON
QUASI
Ali Nas
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e11
001-89995_a10_em84
PERSON
QUASI
Resul Kervanoğlu
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e10
001-89995_a10_em85
PERSON
QUASI
Beşir Gasyak
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e22
001-89995_a10_em86
ORG
QUASI
İdil Magistrates’ Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e35
001-89995_a10_em87
DATETIME
QUASI
28 February 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e20
001-89995_a10_em88
ORG
QUASI
İdil
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-89995_a10_e36
001-89995_a10_em89
ORG
QUASI
Diyarbakır State Security Court
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check
001-89995_a10_e37
001-89995_a10_em90
DATETIME
QUASI
12 March 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-89995_a10_e36
001-89995_a10_em91
ORG
QUASI
Diyarbakır State Security Court
Yetgin Adırbelli
TUR
CHAMBER
Task: Annotate the document to anonymise the following person: Yetgin Adırbelli