Information Note on the Court’s case-law No. 127

February 2010

Sinan Işık v. Turkey - 21924/05

Judgment 2.2.2010 [Section II]

Article 9

Article 9-1

Freedom of religion

Indication of religion on identity cards: violation

Article 46

Article 46-2

Execution of judgment

Measures of a general character

Respondent State required to remove details of religious affiliation from identity cards

Facts – The applicant was a member of the Alevi religious community. In 2004 he applied to the courts requesting that his identity card feature the word “Alevi” rather than “Islam”, but his applications were unsuccessful.

Law – Article 9: A law of 2006 which made it possible to request that the “religion” entry on an identity card be left blank or deleted had not changed the applicant’s situation. When identity cards provided for an indication of religion, the mere fact of leaving the relevant entry blank would inevitably have a specific connotation. The bearer of an identity card witho