Loizidou v. Turkey explained

Short Name:Loizidou v. Turkey
Court:European Court of Human Rights
Ruling:Violation of Article 1 of Protocol 1 to the European Convention on Human Rights
Decidedate:18 December
Decideyear:1996
Fullname:Loizidou v. Turkey
Language:English
Nationality:Cypriot
Turkish
Chamber:Grand Chamber
Judgepresident:Rolv Ryssdal
Judge1:Rudolf Bernhardt
Judge2:Feyyaz Gölcüklü
Judge3:Louis-Edmond Pettiti
Judge4:Brian Walsh (judge)
Judge5:Alphonse Spielmann
Judge6:Sibrand Karel Martens
Judge7:Elisabeth Palm
Judge8:Raimo Pekkanen
Judge9:Andreas Nicolas Loizou
Judge10:José María Morenilla
Judge11:András Baka
Judge12:Manuel Antonio Lopes Rocha
Judge13:Luzius Wildhaber
Judge14:Giuseppe Mifsud Bonnici
Judge15:Peter Jambrek
Judge16:Uno Lõhmus
Majority:Ryssdal
Joinmajority:Walsh, Spielmann, Martens, Palm, Pekkanen, Loizou, Morenilla, Wildhaber, Bonnici, Lõhmus
Concurrence:Wildhaber
Joinconcurrence:Ryssdal
Dissent:Bernhardt
Joindissent:Lopes Rocha
Dissent2:Baka
Dissent3:Jambrek
Dissent4:Petitti
Dissent5:Gölcüklü
Casenumber:40/1993/435/514

Loizidou v. Turkey is a landmark legal case regarding the rights of refugees wishing to return to their former homes and properties.[1]

The European Court of Human Rights ruled that Titina Loizidou, and consequently all other refugees, have the right to return to their former properties. The ECHR ruled that Turkey had violated Loizidou's human rights under Article I of Protocol I of the European Convention on Human Rights,[2] [3] that she should be allowed to return to her home and that Turkey should pay damages to her. Turkey initially ignored this ruling.[4]

On 22 July 1989 a Cypriot national Loizidou filed an application against Turkey to the European Court of Human Rights, represented by Greek-Cypriot lawyer Achilleas Demetriades. Loizidou had been forced out of her home during Turkey's invasion of Cyprus in 1974 along with around 200,000 other Greek-Cypriots. During more than 20 years, she made a number of attempts to return to her home in Kyrenia but was denied entry into the Turkish occupied part of Cyprus by the Turkish army.

Her application resulted in three judgments by the European Court of Human Rights (Strasbourg) which held Turkey responsible for human rights violations in the northern part of Cyprus, which is under overall control of the Turkish armed forces.

The U.S. Department of State commented on this case as follows:

The court also stated expressly that the damages awarded were not compensation for the property per se, but only for the denial of the ownership and use of the property, and that Loizidou retains full legal ownership of her property.

In 2003 Turkey paid Loizidou the compensation amounts (of over $1 million) ruled by the European Court of Human Rights.[5]

Precedent

The case serves as important precedent for judgments in international courts of law regarding the Cyprus dispute.[6] [7] [8] [9] Similar cases have been brought to the ECHR are awaiting judgement and two have been concluded in a similar fashion:

The Loizidou case was also cited in the 2001 judgment on the interstate case Cyprus v. Turkey.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Vasilios S. Spyridakis, "Loizidou v. Turkey and the Future of Property Compensation for Refugees in Cyprus and Beyond," Journal of Modern Hellenism no. 25-26 (2008-2009), pp. 129-156.
  2. Loizidou and Cyprus (intervening) v Turkey, App No 15318/89, §64, ECHR 1996-VI
  3. First Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (Council of Europe) 213 UNTS 262, UKTS 46 (1954), ETS No 9, UN Reg No I-2889, Cmd 9221, Art.1
  4. Web site: H54-1 - Loizidou against Turkey, Judgments of 18 December 1996 and 28 July 1998 Application of Article 54 of the ECHR . Council of Europe - Human Rights Meeting . 8–9 September 1999 . 17 April 2011 .
  5. News: Turkey compensates Cyprus refugee . 2 December 2003 . . 2007-01-31 .
  6. Web site: Turkey has finally paid Mrs. Titina Loizidou . Moreover, the ruling of European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in the case of Loizidou v. Turkey (1998) has set a legal precedent for the payment of reparations by Turkey to the Republic of Cyprus and the victims of its policy of destruction and ethnic cleansing..
  7. Web site: European Court of Human Rights finds Turkey Guilty . https://web.archive.org/web/20171130185301/argyrou.eclipse.co.uk/Guilty.htm . dead . 30 November 2017 . Markides noted that the decision sets a "precedent" and can be characterised as a "landmark in the history of law". .
  8. Web site: Property Wars in Cyprus . The case has served as a precedent for dozens of cases that have been concluded in a similar fashion..
  9. Web site: Loizidou v Turkey . This is a landmark case, the first of its kind in Cyprus and has set the precedent for similar actions to be brought against the Turkish government..
  10. Web site: Case of Demades vs Turkey . 2010-01-03 . 22 April 2008 . .doc . HUDOC. European Court of Human Rights HUDOC Portal .