PROCEDURE

The case originated in an application (no. 18364/91) against the Republic of Turkey lodged with the European Commission of Human Rights (“the Commission”) under former Article 25 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) by a Cypriot national, Mr Andreas Ioannou (“the applicant”), on 7 June 1991.

The applicant, who had been granted legal aid, was represented by Mr K. Chrysostomides, a lawyer practising in Nicosia. The Turkish Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Mr Z.M. Necatigil.

The applicant alleged that the Turkish occupation of the northern part of Cyprus had deprived him of his home and properties.

The application was transmitted to the Court on 1 November 1998, when Protocol No. 11 to the Convention came into force (Article 5 § 2 of Protocol No. 11).

By a decision of 28 March 2000 the Court declared the application admissible.

The applicant and the Government each filed observations on the merits (Rule 59 § 1). In addition, third-party comments were received from the Government of Cyprus, which had exercised its right to intervene (Article 36 § 1 of the Convention and Rule 44 § 1 (b)).

THE FACTS

The applicant was born in 1935 and lives in Nicosia.

The applicant was born and grew up in Ayios Amvrosios, a village in the District of Kyrenia. In 1973 he moved his residence to Kyrenia. During the military intervention of July 1974, Turkish troops evicted the applicant and his family from their home and forced them to leave Kyrenia and flee to the south.

The applicant claimed that he had real properties in northern Cyprus. He produced affirmations of ownership issued by the Department of Lands and Surveys of the Republic of Cyprus, according to which he was the owner of the following properties: (a) Kyrenia, Klepini, Boumbourka, field with trees, sheet/plan 13/33, plot no. 72, area: 2,784 sq. m, share: whole; (b) Kyrenia, Ayios Epiktitos, Karamanou Quarter, field with trees, sheet/plan 12/32, plot no. 235, area: 539 sq. m, share: whole; (c) Kyrenia, Ayios Amvrosios, Alakati tou Platymati, field with trees, sheet/plan 13/19, plot no. 220/2, area: 7,078 sq. m, share: whole; (d) Kyrenia, Ayios Amvrosios, Vasilion, field with trees, sheet/plan 13/20, plot no. 63, area: 3,365 sq. m, share: whole; (e) Kyrenia, Ayios Amvrosios, Vasilion, field with trees, sheet/plan 13/20, plot no. 130, area: 3,301 sq. m, share: whole; (f) Kyrenia, Ayios Amvrosios, Vasilion, field with trees, sheet/plan 13/20, plot no. 151, area: 365 sq. m, share: whole; (g) Kyrenia, Ayios Amvrosios, Platanos, garden and cultivated field, sheet/plan 13/22, plot no. 524, area: 55 sq. m, share: whole; (h) Kyrenia, Ayios Amvrosios, Vrysi tou Potamou, freshwater spring, sheet/plan 13/22, plot no. 608/1, share: whole; (i) Kyrenia, Ayios Amvrosios, Mangou, field with trees, sheet/plan 13/31, plot no. 34, area: 3,819 sq. m, share: whole; (j) Kyrenia, Pano Kyrenia, house with yard (ground level), No. 7, Demosthenous Street, sheet/plan 12/20, plot no. 34, area: 785 sq. m, share: whole.

The applicant alleged that the house described under paragraph 9 (j) above had been his permanent residence. He lived there with his wife Sophia Andreou Ioannou (the applicant in application no. 18360/91), his son Michael Michael (the applicant in application no. 18361/91) and his daughter Christina Michael.

Following the 1974 intervention and the ensuing Turkish military occupation, the applicant was deprived of access to and the use of his property. He participated in various peaceful demonstrations and marches towards his village. On all occasions he was prevented from walking home by the Turkish troops.

On 9 December 1990 the applicant made one further attempt to return to his home and property in Kyrenia and Ayios Amvrosios by participating in a convoy of cars of fellow refugees intending to return home.

The applicant and his fellow refugees, who had informed the Commander of the United Nations (UN) forces in Cyprus of their intentions, arrived at the check point in the “buffer zone“, on the main road which links Nicosia with Ayios Amvrosios and Kyrenia. There, they asked the UN officer on duty to be allowed to return to their homes, property and villages. They requested the same officer to forward their demand to the Turkish military authorities. The officer replied that the latter had refused their request.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e1
001-90977_a6_em1
CODE
DIRECT
18364/91
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-90977_a6_e2
001-90977_a6_em2
ORG
NO_MASK
Republic of Turkey
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e3
001-90977_a6_em3
DEM
QUASI
Cypriot
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e4
001-90977_a6_em4
PERSON
DIRECT
Mr Andreas Ioannou
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e5
001-90977_a6_em5
DATETIME
QUASI
7 June 1991
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e6
001-90977_a6_em6
PERSON
QUASI
Mr K. Chrysostomides
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e7
001-90977_a6_em7
LOC
QUASI
Nicosia
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e2
001-90977_a6_em8
ORG
NO_MASK
001-90977_a6_em2
Turkish Government
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e8
001-90977_a6_em9
PERSON
QUASI
Mr Z.M. Necatigil
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-90977_a6_e9
001-90977_a6_em10
ORG
NO_MASK
Turkish
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-90977_a6_e10
001-90977_a6_em11
LOC
NO_MASK
northern part of Cyprus
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-90977_a6_e11
001-90977_a6_em12
DATETIME
NO_MASK
1 November 1998
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e12
001-90977_a6_em13
DATETIME
QUASI
28 March 2000
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e13
001-90977_a6_em14
ORG
NO_MASK
Government of Cyprus
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e14
001-90977_a6_em15
DATETIME
QUASI
1935
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e7
001-90977_a6_em16
LOC
QUASI
Nicosia
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-90977_a6_e15
001-90977_a6_em17
LOC
QUASI
Ayios Amvrosios
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e16
001-90977_a6_em18
LOC
QUASI
District of Kyrenia
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e17
001-90977_a6_em19
DATETIME
QUASI
1973
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e18
001-90977_a6_em20
LOC
QUASI
Kyrenia
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e19
001-90977_a6_em21
DATETIME
QUASI
July 1974
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e9
001-90977_a6_em22
ORG
NO_MASK
Turkish
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e18
001-90977_a6_em23
LOC
QUASI
Kyrenia
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-90977_a6_e10
001-90977_a6_em24
LOC
QUASI
001-90977_a6_em11
northern Cyprus
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e20
001-90977_a6_em25
ORG
NO_MASK
Department of Lands and Surveys
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-90977_a6_e13
001-90977_a6_em26
ORG
NO_MASK
001-90977_a6_em14
Republic of Cyprus
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-90977_a6_e21
001-90977_a6_em27
LOC
QUASI
Kyrenia, Klepini, Boumbourka, field with trees, sheet/plan 13/33, plot no. 72, area: 2,784 sq. m, share: whole;
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-90977_a6_e22
001-90977_a6_em28
LOC
QUASI
Kyrenia, Ayios Epiktitos, Karamanou Quarter, field with trees, sheet/plan 12/32, plot no. 235, area: 539 sq. m, share: whole;
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-90977_a6_e23
001-90977_a6_em29
LOC
QUASI
Kyrenia, Ayios Amvrosios, Alakati tou Platymati, field with trees, sheet/plan 13/19, plot no. 220/2, area: 7,078 sq. m, share: whole;
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-90977_a6_e24
001-90977_a6_em30
LOC
QUASI
Kyrenia, Ayios Amvrosios, Vasilion, field with trees, sheet/plan 13/20, plot no. 63, area: 3,365 sq. m, share: whole;
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-90977_a6_e25
001-90977_a6_em31
LOC
QUASI
Kyrenia, Ayios Amvrosios, Vasilion, field with trees, sheet/plan 13/20, plot no. 130, area: 3,301 sq. m, share: whole;
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-90977_a6_e26
001-90977_a6_em32
LOC
QUASI
Kyrenia, Ayios Amvrosios, Vasilion, field with trees, sheet/plan 13/20, plot no. 151, area: 365 sq. m, share: whole;
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-90977_a6_e27
001-90977_a6_em33
LOC
QUASI
Kyrenia, Ayios Amvrosios, Platanos, garden and cultivated field, sheet/plan 13/22, plot no. 524, area: 55 sq. m, share: whole;
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-90977_a6_e28
001-90977_a6_em34
LOC
QUASI
Kyrenia, Ayios Amvrosios, Vrysi tou Potamou, freshwater spring, sheet/plan 13/22, plot no. 608/1, share: whole;
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-90977_a6_e29
001-90977_a6_em35
LOC
QUASI
Kyrenia, Ayios Amvrosios, Mangou, field with trees, sheet/plan 13/31, plot no. 34, area: 3,819 sq. m, share: whole;
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-90977_a6_e30
001-90977_a6_em36
LOC
QUASI
Kyrenia, Pano Kyrenia, house with yard (ground level), No. 7, Demosthenous Street, sheet/plan 12/20, plot no. 34, area: 785 sq. m, share: whole.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e31
001-90977_a6_em37
PERSON
DIRECT
Sophia Andreou Ioannou
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e32
001-90977_a6_em38
CODE
QUASI
18360/91
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e33
001-90977_a6_em39
PERSON
DIRECT
Michael Michael
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e34
001-90977_a6_em40
CODE
QUASI
18361/91
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e35
001-90977_a6_em41
PERSON
DIRECT
Christina Michael
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e36
001-90977_a6_em42
DATETIME
QUASI
1974
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e9
001-90977_a6_em43
ORG
NO_MASK
Turkish
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e9
001-90977_a6_em44
ORG
NO_MASK
Turkish
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e37
001-90977_a6_em45
DATETIME
QUASI
9 December 1990
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e18
001-90977_a6_em46
LOC
QUASI
Kyrenia
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-90977_a6_e15
001-90977_a6_em47
LOC
QUASI
Ayios Amvrosios
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e38
001-90977_a6_em48
ORG
NO_MASK
United Nations
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e38
001-90977_a6_em49
ORG
NO_MASK
001-90977_a6_em48
UN
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e7
001-90977_a6_em50
LOC
QUASI
Nicosia
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e15
001-90977_a6_em51
LOC
QUASI
Ayios Amvrosios
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e18
001-90977_a6_em52
LOC
QUASI
Kyrenia
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e38
001-90977_a6_em53
ORG
NO_MASK
UN
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-90977_a6_e9
001-90977_a6_em54
ORG
NO_MASK
Turkish
Andreas Ioannou
TUR
CHAMBER
Task: Annotate the document to anonymise the following person: Andreas Ioannou