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HUMAN RIGHTS, THE CYPRUS PROBLEM AND THE IMMOVABLE PROPERTY COMMISSION

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 April 2018

Meliz Erdem  and
Steven Greer
Meliz Erdem
Affiliation:
PhD Candidate, School of Law, University of Bristol, me13467@bristol.ac.uk.
Steven Greer
Affiliation:
Professor of Human Rights, School of Law, University of Bristol, steven.greer@bristol.ac.uk.
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Abstract

This article critically examines the role of the Immovable Property Commission, established in 2005 by the ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ under pressure from the European Court of Human Rights, to redress losses sustained by Greek Cypriots who fled south when the island was partitioned in the mid-1970s. While the Commission has been a modest success, proceedings have been lengthy, its decisions lack transparency, there have been difficulties with restitution and exchange, and the payment of compensation has often been delayed. Corporate ownership and encumbrances, such as mortgages, have also proved problematic. But, whether it contributes negatively or positively to full resolution of the Cyprus problem, or makes no contribution at all, remains to be seen.

Keywords

Human RightsCyprus problemDemopoulos and others v TurkeyEuropean Convention on Human RightsEuropean Court of Human RightsImmovable Property Commissionrestitution
Type
Shorter Article
Information
International & Comparative Law Quarterly , Volume 67 , Issue 3 , July 2018 , pp. 721 - 732
Copyright
Copyright © British Institute of International and Comparative Law 2018 

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References

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15 Sert (n 8) 247.

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21 Xenides-Arestis v Turkey Appl No 46347/99 Merits (22 December 2005); Xenides-Arestis v Turkey Appl No 46347/99 Just Satisfaction (7 December 2006).

22 ibid para 40.

23 Art11(1).

24 Art 3.

25 Xenides-Arestis v Turkey (Just Satisfaction) (n 21) paras 36–39.

26 Demopoulos and others v Turkey Appl Nos 46113/99, 3843/02, 13751/02, 13466/03, 10200/04, 14163/04, 19993/04, 21819/04 Admissibility (1 March 2010) para 40.

27 ibid.

28 ibid para 111.

29 ibid paras 114–115

30 ibid para 128.

31 The Turkish Federated State of Cyprus lasted until the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was proclaimed on 15 November 1983.

32 Rule 3(2); ‘Rules Made Under Sections 8(2)(a) and 22 of the Law for the Compensation, Exchange and Restitution of Immovable Properties which are within the Scope of Sub-paragraph (b) of Paragraph 1 of Art 159 of the Constitution (Law No 67/2005)’ <http://tamk.gov.ct.tr/dokuman/Tuzuk-ING.pdf>.

33 Rule 3(1). See <http://tamk.gov.ct.tr/dokuman/gerekli_evrak.pdf>.

34 Rule 3(3).

35 Rule 3(5)(a) and (b).

36 Art 13 Law No 67/2005.

37 Art 15.

38 Art 8.

39 Art 14.

40 See <http://tamk.gov.ct.tr/dokuman/istatistik_temmuz17.pdf>; ‘Body to compensate Greek Cypriot Refugees running out of funds’ Cyprus Mail (7 August 2017) <http://cyprus-mail.com/2017/08/07/body-compensate-greek-cypriot-refugees-running-funds/>.

41 See <http://tamk.gov.ct.tr/english/index.html>; <http://tamk.gov.ct.tr/dokuman/Bitenler.pdf>.

42 ‘16 bin dönüm 235 milyon Sterlin'e Türk toprağı oldu’ [‘16,000 donums have become Turkish land for £235 million’] Kıbrıs Gazetesi (4 June 2017) <http://www.kibrisgazetesi.com/kibris/16-bin-donum-235-milyon-sterline-turk-topragi-oldu/19967>.

43 ‘Ağlayarak gelen Rumlar var‘[‘There are Greek Cypriots who come in tears’] Gündem Kıbrıs (11 July 2017) <https://www.gundemkibris.com/aglayarak-gelen-rumlar-var-217098h.htm>.

44 See art 8 Law No 67/2005.

45 Eugenia Michaelidou Developments Ltd and Michael Tymvios v Turkey Appl No 16163/90 Merits (31 July 2003).

46 Sert (n 8) 248.

47 S Evripidou, ‘The IPC Insists Tymvios Case Sets Precedent’ Cyprus Mail (12 July 2012) <http://www.cyprusedirectory.com/articleview.aspx?ID=25785>.

48 K.V. Mediterranean Tours Limited ile Taşınmaz Mal Komisyonu arasında [K.V. Mediterranean Tours Limited v Immovable Property Commission] YİM 262/2012, D. 32/2015 (6 November 2015).

49 Eleni Meleagrou and others v Turkey Appl No 14434/09 Admissibility (2 April 2013); see also Pavlos Loizou and others v Turkey Appl No 50646/2015 Admissibility (26 October 2017) paras 50 and 80.

50 ibid para 18.

51 ibid paras 19–21.

52 ibid para 22.

53 Joannou v Turkey Appl No 43240/2014 Merits (12 December 2017) para 104.

54 ibid paras 91–106.

55 Acapulco Holdings Limited ile 67/2005 sayılı Yasa tahtında oluşturulan KKTC Taşınmaz Mal Komisyonu arasında [Acapulco Holdings Limited v Immovable Property Commission established under Law No 67/2005] YİM 7/2013-8/2013, D. 13/2007 (18 May 2017).

56 ibid.

57 See also art 4 Law N 67/2005.

58 A Mowbray, ‘The European Court of Human Rights’ Approach to Just Satisfaction’ [1997] PL 647, 650.

59 Eleni Meleagrou and others v Turkey (n 49) para 12; Agrotexim and Others v Greece Appl No 14807/89 Merits (24 October 1995) para 66. See also Pavlos Loizou and others v Turkey (n 49).

60 Girne Tapu Dairesi vasıtasıyla KKTC Başsavcılık v Christopher Stylianou ve diğeri arasında [TRNC Attorney General's Office through Kyrenia Land Registry Office v Christopher Stylianou and others] YİM 66/2014 D. 20/2015 (18 May 2015).

61 ‘35 milyon borçluyuz’ [‘We Owe 35 Million’] Yeni Bakış Gazetesi (12 July 2015) <http://www.yenibakisgazetesi.com/35-milyon-borcluyuz/2552/> (It had been mentioned that there are still applications which wait for payment)

62 ‘Bakan arabalarına Rum haciz koydurttu’ [‘Seizure over Vehicles of the Minister'] Havadis Gazetesi (7 July 2015) <http://www.havadiskibris.com/bakan-arabalarina-rum-haciz-koydurttu>; ‘Karar var, Ödeme yok’ [‘There Are Decisions but Not Payments’] Gündem Kıbrıs (10 December 2015) <http://www.gundemkibris.com/tmk-tehlikede-158344h.htm>.

63 See Christopher Stylianou ile İskan İşleri ile Görevli Bakanlığı ve/veya Bakanlığı temsilen KKTC Başsavcılık arasında [Christopher Stylianou v Ministry of Interior represented by the TRNC Attorney General's Office] Yargıtay/Hukuk No: 129/2015 (Genel İstida No: 39/2015), D.50/2015 (3 December 2015).

64 ‘Kritik dava geri çekildi, TMK uçurumun eşiğinden döndü’ [‘The Critical Case Has Been Withdrawn, the IPC has Returned from the Brink of the Abyss’] Kıbrıs Postası (5 August 2016) <http://www.kibrispostasi.com/index.php/cat/35/news/197255/PageName/KIBRIS_HABERLERI>.