EUROPEAN COMMISSION OF HUMAN RIGHTS Application No.25781/94 CYPRUS against TURKEY REPORT OF THE COMMISSION (adopted on 4 June 1999) 25781/94 - i - TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION (paras. 1-67) ............................................................................................................... 1 A. BACKGROUND (paras.1-17) ............................................................................................................. 1 1) Previous inter-State applications (paras.2-12) .......................................................................................................... 1 2) Individual applications (paras. 13-17) ...................................................................................................... 3 B. THE SUBSTANCE OF THE PRESENT APPLICATION (paras. 18-19) ........................................................................................................... 4 C. PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE COMMISSION (paras.20-63) ............................................................................................................ 4 1) Proceedings on admissibility (paras. 21-25) ....................................................................................................... 4 2) Proceedings on the merits (paras.26-63) ........................................................................................................ 6 a) The respondent Government’s initial refusal to participate in the proceedings on the merits (paras.26-32) ........................ 6 b) Taking of evidence in Strasbourg (paras.33-47) ....................................... 8 c) Taking of evidence in Cyprus (paras. 48-52) .......................................... 12 d) Taking of evidence in London (paras. 53-55) ......................................... 13 e) Further submissions in writing (paras. 56-57) ......................................... 13 f) Oral hearing on the merits and subsequent submissions of the parties (paras. 58-62) ..................................................................... 14 g) Efforts to secure a friendly settlement (para. 63) ................................... 15 D. THE PRESENT REPORT (paras. 64-67) ......................................................................................................... 15 - ii - 25781/94 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page PART ONE - GENERAL AND PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS (paras. 68-146) ............................................................................................................. 16 Chapter 1 - Locus standi of the applicant Government (paras. 68-73) ...................... 16 Conclusion (para. 73) ................................................................................. 17 Chapter 2 - Legal interest of the applicant Government (paras.74-87) .................... 17 Conclusion ( para. 87) ................................................................................ 20 Chapter 3 - Responsibility of Turkey under the Convention (paras. 88-103) .......... 21 Conclusion (para. 103) ............................................................................... 25 Chapter 4 - Domestic remedies (paras. 104-128) ........................................................ 25 Conclusion (para. 128) ............................................................................... 32 Chapter 5 - Compliance with the six months time limit (paras. 129-131) ................. 32 Conclusion (para. 131) ............................................................................... 32 Chapter 6 - Assessment of the evidence (paras. 132-146) .......................................... 33 PART TWO - THE PARTICULAR COMPLAINTS (paras. 147-596) ............................................................................................................. 38 Chapter 1 - Greek Cypriot missing persons (paras. 147-237) .................................... 38 A. Complaints (paras. 147-151) ...................................................................................... 38 B. Submissions of the parties (paras. 152-170) ............................................................... 39 1) The applicant Government (paras. 152-163) .......................................................... 39 2) The respondent Government (paras. 164-170)........................................................ 43 C. Facts established by the Commission (paras. 171-191) .............................................. 45 D. Opinion of the Commission (paras. 192-237) ............................................................ 50 1) As to the alleged violation of the rights of the missing persons themselves (paras. 192-225) ............................................................. 50 a) Article 4 of the Convention (paras. 192-196) ......................................................... 50 Conclusion (para. 196) ........................................................................................... 50 b) Article 5 of the Convention (paras. 197-213) ........................................................ 50 Conclusions (paras. 212-213) ................................................................................ 53 25781/94 - iii - c) Complaints under Articles 2, 3, 6, 8, 13, 14 and 17 of the Convention (paras. 214-225) ....................................................................... 53 i) The Commission’s power to examine these complaints (paras.214-218) ........... 53 ii) Consideration under Article 2 of the Convention (paras. 219-225).................... 54 Conclusion (para. 225) ........................................................................................... 56 2) As to the alleged violation of the rights of the missing persons’ relatives (paras. 226-237) ........................................................................................................... 56 Conclusions (paras. 236-237) ...................................................................................... 58 Chapter 2 - Home and property of displaced persons (paras. 238-337) .................... 58 A. Complaints (para. 238) ............................................................................................... 58 B. As to Article 8 of the Convention (paras. 239-273) ................................................... 59 1) Submissions of the Parties (paras. 239-254) ............................................................... 59 a) The applicant Government (paras. 239-245) ........................................................... 59 b) The respondent Government (paras. 246-254)........................................................ 61 2) Facts established by the Commission (paras. 255-260) .............................................. 63 3) Opinion of the Commission (paras. 261-273) ............................................................. 65 Conclusions (paras. 272-273) ..................................................................................... 67 C. As to Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 (paras. 274-322)..................................................... 68 1) Submissions of the Parties (paras. 274-301) ............................................................... 68 a) The applicant Government (paras. 274-287) ........................................................... 68 b) The respondent Government (paras. 288-301)........................................................ 71 2) Facts established by the Commission (paras. 302-309) .............................................. 75 3) Opinion of the Commission (paras. 310-322) ............................................................. 77 Conclusion (para. 322) ............................................................................................... 80 D. As to Article 13 of the Convention (paras. 323-328) ................................................. 80 Conclusion (para. 328) ............................................................................................... 81 E. As to Article 14 of the Convention (paras. 329-337) .................................................. 81 Conclusions (paras. 336-337) ..................................................................................... 82 Chapter 3 - Living conditions of Greek Cypriots in northern Cyprus (paras.338-507) ............................................................................................................. 83 A. Complaints (paras. 338-340) ...................................................................................... 83 - iv - 25781/94 B. Submissions of the parties (paras. 341-379) ............................................................... 84 1) The applicant Government (paras. 341-363) .............................................................. 84 2) The respondent Government (paras. 364-379) ............................................................ 89 C. Facts established by the Commission (paras. 380-429) .............................................. 92 1) Written evidence (paras. 380-390) .............................................................................. 92 2) The Commission’s investigation (paras. 391-409) ..................................................... 95 a) Witnesses (paras. 391-405) ..................................................................................... 95 b) Visits (paras. 406-409) .......................................................................................... 107 3) Evaluation of the evidence (paras. 410-429)............................................................. 109 D. Opinion of the Commission (paras. 430-507) .........................................................