SECOND SECTION
DECISION
Application no. 14046/05
Murat ARSLANOĞLU against Turkey
and 124 other applications
(see list appended)
The European Court of Human Rights (Second Section), sitting on 11 October 2016 as a Committee composed of:
Nebojša Vučinić, President,
Valeriu Griţco,
Stéphanie Mourou-Vikström, judges,
and Hasan Bakırcı, Deputy Section Registrar,
Having regard to the above applications lodged on the various dates indicated in the appended table,
Having deliberated, decides as follows:
THE FACTS
1. A list of the applicants and their representatives are set out in the appendix. The Turkish Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent.
A. The circumstances of the case
2. The facts of the case, as submitted by the parties, may be summarised as follows.
3. The applicants were all serving their prison sentences or were in pre-trial detention when the present applications were lodged. Disciplinary boards of respective prisons decided to impose on the applicants’ correspondence several types of monitoring measures such as stopping, destroying or censoring their private letters.
4. The applicants challenged the prison authorities’ decisions before the enforcement judges and the assize courts respectively. The domestic courts dismissed the applicants’ objections and ruled that the impugned restrictions were consistent with the domestic laws and regulations and were justified by reasons of order and security in the prisons, prevention of offences and protection of third parties.
B. Relevant domestic law
5. A description of the domestic law regarding the new remedy introduced by Law no. 6384 can be found in Sayan v. Turkey (dec.), no. 49460/11, §§ 6-12, 14 June 2016).
COMPLAINTS
6. The applicants invoked Articles 8, 9, 10 and/or 14 of the Convention and complained that the restrictions imposed on their correspondence breached, in a discriminatory manner, their right to respect for their correspondence solely or together with their right to freedom of thought and their right to free expression. Some of the applicants also invoked Articles 6 and 13 of the Convention and complained about the ineffectiveness and unfairness of the procedures before the national courts. Finally, based on the same facts some of the applicants invoked Articles 1, 3, 5, 7, 17 and 18 of the Convention, Article 1 of Protocol No. 12 and Protocols nos. 4, 6, 7 and 13.
THE LAW
7. Having regard to the similar subject matter of the applications, at the outset the Court finds it appropriate to examine them jointly in a single decision.
8. The Court will examine the applications solely from the standpoint of Article 8 of the Convention (see Asan v. Turkey (dec.), no. 38453/09, 30 August 2016).
9. The Government noted that pursuant to Law no. 6384 a new Compensation Commission had been established to deal with applications concerning the length of proceedings and the non-execution of judgments. They further noted that the competence of the Compensation Commission was subsequently enlarged by a decree adopted on 9 March 2016 to examine complaints relating to, among other things, the alleged breach of the right to respect for correspondence of detainees or convicted persons, on account of the prison administration’s refusal to receive or send letters or similar correspondence that are drafted in Turkish. Accordingly, they maintained that the applicants had not exhausted domestic remedies, as they had not made any application to the Compensation Commission.
10. The Court has examined similar applications against Turkey on several occasions and found a violation of Article 8 of the Convention on the grounds that the interference was not “in accordance with the law” (see Tan v. Turkey, no. 9460/03, §§ 24-26, 3 July 2007, and Tur v. Turkey, no. 13692/03, §§ 23-25, 11 June 2013) or was not “necessary in a democratic society” (see Fazıl Ahmet Tamer v. Turkey, no. 6289/02, §§ 54-56, 5 December 2006, and Mehmet Nuri Özen v. Turkey, no. 37619/05, §§ 18-19, 2 February 2010).
11. Furthermore, the Court also notes that in its decision in the case of Ümmühan Kaplan (no. 24240/07, § 77, 20 March 2012), it stressed that it could nevertheless examine, under its normal procedure, applications of that type which had already been communicated to the Government. However, taking into account the Government’s objection with regard to the applicants’ failure to make use of the new domestic remedy established by Law no. 6384, the Court reiterates its conclusion in the cases of Turgut and Others v. Turkey ((dec.), no. 4860/09, §§ 47-59, 26 March 2013); Çakır and Others v. Turkey ((dec.), no. 51274/07, § 6, 25 June 2013); Yöyler and Others v. Turkey ((dec.), no. 10783/07, §§ 11-13, 16 December 2014); Yıldız and Yanak ((dec.), no. 44013/07, § 29-38, 27 May 2014); and Sayan v. Turkey ((dec.), no. 49460/11, 14 June 2016).
12. In view of the above, the Court concludes that the applications should be rejected under Article 35 §§ 1 and 4 of the Convention for non‑exhaustion of domestic remedies.
For these reasons, the Court, unanimously,
Decides to join the applications;
Declares the applications inadmissible.
Done in English and notified in writing on 17 November 2016.
Hasan BakırcıNebojša Vučinić
Deputy RegistrarPresident
APPENDIX
No.
Application No.
Lodged on
Applicant
Date of birth
Place of residence
Represented by
14046/05
05/04/2005
Murat ARSLANOĞLU
18/05/1968
Karaman
27932/05
25/02/2005
Suat DUMAN
28/07/1970
İzmir
Mehmet ERBİL
49196/06
21/11/2006
Muhittin ALTIN
30/03/1974
Kırıkkale
16487/07
03/04/2007
Recep BEKİK
15/09/1969
Ankara
20926/07
15/03/2007
Erhan KAYA
16/10/1970
Erzurum
22255/07
21/05/2007
Erdener DEMİREL
21/11/1980
Tekirdağ
Metin FİLORİNALI
26251/07
21/05/2007
Vahdettin BUDAK
03/04/1977
İzmir
27105/07
15/06/2007
Mehmet Şerif ÖNER
01/01/1975
İzmir
Türkan ASLAN
27672/07
20/06/2007
Ahmet KAYA
02/03/1957
Kars
34450/07
09/07/2007
Mehmet Reşit ARSLAN
01/06/1966
Ankara
39135/07
23/08/2007
Diyadin AKDEMİR
01/01/1974
Kocaeli
İnan AKMEŞE
40904/07
06/09/2007
Abdullah KANAT
22/07/1956
Diyarbakır
Abdullah AKIN
43819/07
25/09/2007
Kenan KARAASLAN
18/12/1966
Bolu
Murat VARGÜN
52333/07
30/10/2007
Metin YAMALAK
10/06/1980
Bolu
Mehmet ERBİL
56448/07
27/11/2007
Ahmet KAYA
02/03/1957
Kars
6560/08
23/01/2008
Abdi CANGI
17/07/1971
Tekirdağ
Oya ASLAN
8267/08
07/02/2008
Mehmet DESDE
05/01/1959
Berlin
Çetin BİNGÖLBALI
11135/08
07/02/2008
Hüseyin Habip TAŞKIN
17/11/1960
İzmir
Çetin BİNGÖLBALI
13042/08
04/03/2008
Eyüp TURĞAY
22/04/1972
Ankara
Murat VARGÜN
13693/08
07/02/2008
Serhat ÇETİNER
23/10/1972
Kırıkkale
Sertaç ÇETİNER
13713/08
07/02/2008
Serhat ÇETİNER
23/10/1972
Kırıkkale
Sertaç ÇETİNER
13715/08
07/02/2008
Serhat ÇETİNER
23/10/1972
Kırıkkale
Sertaç ÇETİNER
13724/08
07/02/2008
Serhat ÇETİNER
23/10/1972
Kırıkkale
Sertaç ÇETİNER
13726/08
07/02/2008
Serhat ÇETİNER
23/10/1972
Kırıkkale
Sertaç ÇETİNER
13730/08
07/02/2008
Serhat ÇETİNER
23/10/1972
Kırıkkale
Sertaç ÇETİNER
14014/08
28/02/2008
Abdullah AYDIN
01/03/1971
Şanlıurfa
14814/08
07/03/2008
Ali Rıza KALAN
25/10/1973
Bolu
Mehmet ERBİL
14949/08
12/03/2008
Murat KARAYEL
10/05/1971
Kırıkkale
Fazıl Ahmet TAMER
15647/08
04/03/2008
Turgut KOYUNCU
10/10/1974
İzmir
Hesin DURSUN
15952/08
04/03/2008
Gültekin AYDEMİR
03/04/1973
İzmir
16331/08
21/03/2008
Mehmet Sabri YAKUT
02/03/1974
Erzincan
16614/08
14/03/2008
Hüseyin BİLGE
01/01/1968
Şanlıurfa
17441/08
06/03/2008
Soncan GEDİK
14/08/1967
Antalya
Murat VARGÜN
17442/08
06/03/2008
Soncan GEDİK
14/08/1967
Antalya
Murat VARGÜN
17443/08
25/03/2008
Soncan GEDİK
14/08/1967
Antalya
Murat VARGÜN
19430/08
05/12/2005
Musa ŞANAK
11/12/1964
Ankara
Sinem COŞKUN
19437/08
21/06/2005
Fethi OKTAY
01/01/1968
Bolu
19627/08
25/03/2008
Kemal YİĞİT
20/10/1982
İzmir
Esin ASLAN
19636/08
01/04/2008
Hayati KAYTAN
01/05/1968
Ankara
Murat VARGÜN
19641/08
01/04/2008
Süleyman TATAR
02/04/1970
Ankara
Fazıl Ahmet TAMER
20551/08
17/03/2008
Turgut KOYUNCU
10/10/1974
İzmir
Hesin DURSUN
25947/08
01/05/2008
Sinan TÜRKMAN
01/01/1966
Bolu
26967/08
15/05/2008
Mehmet Nuri ÖZEN
10/05/1976
İzmir
27164/08
02/04/2008
Abdullah AYDIN
01/03/1971
Şanlıurfa
28234/08
27/05/2008
Mesut YURTSEVER
12/02/1974
Bolu
Faik Özgür EROL
28403/08
13/05/2008
Serhat ÇETİNER
23/10/1972
Kırıkkale
Sertaç ÇETİNER
28407/08
13/05/2008
Serhat ÇETİNER
23/10/1972
Kırıkkale
Sertaç ÇETİNER
29210/08
07/04/2008
Hüseyin BİLGE
01/01/1968
Şanlıurfa
29327/08
26/05/2008
Turgut KOYUNCU
10/10/1974
İzmir
Hesin DURSUN
30532/08
16/06/2008
Fevzi ABO
01/01/1985
Tekirdağ
Mehmet ERBİL
31951/08
02/04/2008
Hasan OZAN
02/01/1961
Antalya
Ercan KANAR
32534/08
18/06/2008
Mehmet Emin EKİNCİ
20/04/1986
Tekirdağ
İnan AKMEŞE
32631/08
07/07/2008
Hasan OZAN
02/01/1961
Edirne
Ercan KANAR
32727/08
27/05/2008
Ali BALIN
15/11/1980
İzmir
36811/08
15/04/2008
Mehmet Çelebi ÇALAN
01/09/1967
Ankara
Murat VARGÜN
36823/08
15/04/2008
Mehmet Çelebi ÇALAN
01/09/1967
Ankara
Murat VARGÜN
36863/08
07/04/2008
Hüseyin BİLGE
01/01/1968
Şanlıurfa
36864/08
07/04/2008
Hüseyin BİLGE
01/01/1968
Şanlıurfa
36893/08
15/04/2008
Mehmet Çelebi ÇALAN
01/09/1967
Ankara
Murat VARGÜN
36921/08
15/04/2008
Mehmet Çelebi ÇALAN
01/09/1967
Ankara
Murat VARGÜN
36932/08
24/06/2008
Mehmet Çelebi ÇALAN
01/09/1967
Ankara
Murat VARGÜN
36944/08
24/06/2008
Mehmet Çelebi ÇALAN
01/09/1967
Ankara
Murat VARGÜN
37938/08
31/07/2008
Şehmus YILDIZ
01/05/1974
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37939/08
31/07/2008
Kutsi ÇAĞIŞ
03/03/1968
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37940/08
31/07/2008
İbrahim ATEŞ
01/01/1975
Balıkesir
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37941/08
31/07/2008
Veysel AVCI
10/05/1970
Karabük
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37942/08
31/07/2008
Ahmet MUSTAFA
24/06/1975
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37943/08
31/07/2008
Aydın KUDAT
01/01/1969
Adıyaman
37944/08
31/07/2008
Yusuf KARANLIK
12/04/1969
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37945/08
31/07/2008
Faik ÇİRİK
29/10/1965
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37946/08
31/07/2008
Yılmaz DEMİR
10/02/1971
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37947/08
31/07/2008
Mehmet ATEŞ
01/01/1970
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37948/08
31/07/2008
İbrahim AKSOY
04/04/1958
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37950/08
31/07/2008
Ramazan ATEŞ
01/02/1967
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37951/08
31/07/2008
Hamdin DEMİRKIRAN
15/03/1971
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37953/08
31/07/2008
Sinan GÜL
10/12/1975
Adıyaman
Umut GÜL
37954/08
31/07/2008
İsmail TAŞAR
09/07/1976
Bolu
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37955/08
31/07/2008
Abdulselam SÜSİN
10/06/1969
Karabük
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37956/08
31/07/2008
Nimet DEGİŞ
10/04/1957
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37957/08
31/07/2008
Cengiz AYAR
05/01/1973
Kocaeli
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37958/08
31/07/2008
İsmail BİÇEN
04/02/1973
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37959/08
31/07/2008
İlyas DOĞAN
29/08/1975
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37960/08
31/07/2008
Mehmet Emin SIRÇA
05/06/1976
Eskişehir
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37961/08
31/07/2008
Abdurrahman GÜNER
20/12/1970
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37962/08
31/07/2008
Mehmet Şirin İVRENDİ
01/01/1970
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37963/08
31/07/2008
Şükrü AKBAŞ
01/01/1967
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37965/08
31/07/2008
Cemal ÇAKIR
20/09/1965
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37966/08
31/07/2008
Mehmet Ali KAYADAĞ
31/01/1973
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37967/08
31/07/2008
Abdullatif SÖNMEZ
02/02/1972
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37968/08
31/07/2008
Kazım ÇALIŞIR
01/10/1966
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37969/08
31/07/2008
Abdulvahap YILMAZ
01/06/1967
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37970/08
31/07/2008
Hüseyin BİLECAN
20/09/1974
Tekirdağ
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37971/08
31/07/2008
Ali Ejder ELYAKUT
04/03/1978
Karabük
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
37972/08
31/07/2008
Nihat ŞAHİN
03/03/1972
Tekirdağ
38072/08
30/07/2008
Ufuk KESKİN
08/05/1976
İzmir
38140/08
31/07/2008
Halil ARSLAN
02/08/1975
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
38276/08
30/07/2008
Abdulmenaf OSMAN
14/04/1965
Kocaeli
38291/08
31/07/2008
Mehmet ÇELİK
31/07/1975
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
38297/08
28/07/2008
Remzi ALMAZ
06/06/1973
Eskişehir
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
38299/08
31/07/2008
Ahmet İBRAHİM
01/09/1972
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
38304/08
01/04/2008
Ramazan NAZLIER
21/12/1973
Diyarbakır
38308/08
31/07/2008
Barış KILIÇ
01/03/1976
Eskişehir
38314/08
31/07/2008
Nevzat BAHADIR
10/07/1978
Adıyaman
Ünsal TANRIVERDİ
38810/08
16/06/2008
Mahmut CENGİZ
20/03/1983
Tekirdağ
Mehmet ERBİL
39330/08
01/08/2008
Diyadin AKDEMİR
01/01/1974
Kocaeli
İnan AKMEŞE
39706/08
31/07/2008
Önder BİTİRGİÇ
01/06/1984
Kocaeli
Mehmet ERBİL
39949/08
28/07/2008
Refik SÜNKÜR
03/02/1975
Bolu
Engin BABAYİĞİT
01/01/1983
Bolu
Mehmet ERBİL
42340/08
19/08/2008
Ramazan VURAL
05/01/1975
Bolu
Mehmet ERBİL
45787/08
13/09/2008
Faruk YILDIZ
25/02/1973
Tekirdağ
Mehmet ERBİL
47891/08
23/09/2008
Sertaç KILIÇARSLAN
01/02/1976
İzmir
47976/08
22/09/2008
Selçuk ESİN
23/01/1978
İzmir
48078/08
24/09/2008
Mehmet Enes TUNÇ
03/11/1972
Erzurum
48133/08
22/09/2008
Nizamettin MAHMUTOĞLU
01/01/1973
Siirt
Rehşan BATARAY SAMAN
48137/08
24/09/2008
Kemal YİĞİT
20/10/1982
İzmir
Esin ASLAN
48141/08
25/09/2009
Ferhat YİLDENİZ
12/04/1980
İzmir
Nezahat PAŞA BAYRAKTAR
51259/08
07/10/2008
Cuma DAĞDÖĞEN
15/05/1979
İzmir
52114/08
31/07/2008
Davut AKGÜL
02/05/1973
Adıyaman
52167/08
14/10/2008
Hüseyin TUNÇ
01/01/1968
İzmir
53824/08
21/10/2008
Vahdettin BUDAK
03/04/1977
İzmir
54371/08
17/10/2008
Tamer TUNCER
25/10/1971
Kocaeli
Sevim AKAT EŞKİ
56362/08
30/10/2008
Turgut KOYUNCU
10/10/1974
İzmir
Hesin DURSUN
58460/08
18/11/2008
Ahmet ÇAKAL
13/01/1953
İzmir
61532/08
04/12/2008
Mehmet Şerif ÖNER
01/01/1975
İzmir
61663/08
01/12/2008
Abdülbari YILDIRIM
01/01/1964
İzmir
62073/08
04/12/2008
Bozo AÇLAN
27/04/1971
Edirne
Full & Egal Universal Law Academy