SECOND SECTION
DECISION
Application no. 40437/06
Celal DEMİR against Turkey
and 57 other applications
(see list appended)
The European Court of Human Rights (Second Section), sitting on 28 June 2016 as a Committee composed of:
Valeriu Griţco, President,
Stéphanie Mourou-Vikström,
Georges Ravarani, judges,
and Hasan Bakırcı, Deputy Section Registrar,
Having regard to the above applications lodged on the various dates indicated in the appended table,
Having regard to the observations submitted by the respondent Government and the observations in reply submitted by the applicants,
Having deliberated, decides as follows:
THE FACTS
A list of the applicants is set out in the appendix. The Turkish Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent.
A. The circumstances of the case
The facts of the case, as submitted by the parties, may be summarised as follows.
In 1999, the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (“the Ministry”) expropriated certain plots of land belonging to the applicants for construction of a dam in Birecik. The applicants initiated compensation proceedings for additional compensation plus interest at statutory rate. The payments were made six to ten years after the date of expropriation. The details of the applications appear in the table below.
B. Relevant domestic law
A description of the domestic law regarding the new remedy introduced by Law no. 6384 can be found in Turgut and Others v. Turkey (dec.), no. 4860/09, 26 March 2013; Demiroğlu v. Turkey (dec.), no. 56125/10, 4 June 2013; and Yıldız and Yanak v. Turkey (dec.), no. 44013/07, 27 May 2014.
COMPLAINTS
The applicants complained that the excessive delay in the payment of the additional compensation awards, coupled with the low interest rates, had caused them substantial financial loss. In this respect, they relied on Article 6 § 1 of the Convention and Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 to the Convention.
THE LAW
Having regard to the similar subject matter of the applications, the Court finds it appropriate to examine them jointly in a single decision.
The applicants complained under Article 6 of the Convention and Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 about the late payment of the additional compensation awards.
The Court will examine these complaints solely under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 to the Convention (see, Yetiş and Others v. Turkey, no. 40349/05, § 63, 6 July 2010, and Güleç and Armut v. Turkey (dec.), no. 25969/09, 16 November 2010).
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 16 March 2014 to examine complaints relating to, among other things, the alleged loss of value of the amount of the expropriation compensation due to the effects of inflation and the length of the proceedings. Accordingly, they maintained that the applicants had not exhausted domestic remedies, as they had not made any application to the Compensation Commission.
The Court observes that, as pointed out by the Government, a new domestic remedy has been established in Turkey following the application of the pilot judgment procedure in the case of Ümmühan Kaplan v. Turkey (no. 24240/07, 20 March 2012). Subsequently, in its decision in the case of Yıldız and Yanak (cited above), the Court declared an application inadmissible on the ground that the applicants had failed to exhaust domestic remedies, that is to say the new remedy. In so doing, the Court considered in particular that this new remedy was a priori accessible and capable of offering a reasonable prospect of redress for complaints concerning the depreciation of awards in expropriation cases.
The Court notes that in its decision in the case of Ümmühan Kaplan (cited above, § 77), 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 (cited above, §§ 47-59), Çakır and Others v. Turkey ((dec.), no. 51274/07, 25 June 2013, § 6), Yöyler and Others v. Turkey ((dec.), no. 10783/07, 16 December 2014, §§ 11-13), and Yıldız and Yanak (cited above, §§ 29-38).
In view of the above, the Court concludes that the application 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 21 July 2016.
Hasan BakırcıValeriu Griţco
Deputy RegistrarPresident
APPENDIX
No
Application No
Lodged on
Applicant
Date of birth
Place of residence
Represented by
Date and number first instance court decisions
40437/06
07/09/2006
Celal DEMİR
1950
Şanlıurfa
M. BİRLİK
Plot no. 48:
Birecik Civil Court
2000/870 E, 2000/2952K
28 September 2000
Plot no. 1700:
Birecik Civil Court
2000/1220 E, 2000/3352 K
24 October 2000
Plot no. 1743:
Birecik Civil Court
2000/1247E, 2000/3765K
9 November 2000
Plot no. 1751:
Birecik Civil Court
2001/261E, 2001/555K
14 August 2001
22259/07
24/05/2007
Mehmet YAVUZ
1953
Şanlıurfa
M. BİRLİK
Birecik Civil Court
2005/407E, 2005/563K
20 December 2005
22326/07
23/05/2007
İbrahim YAVUZ
1959
Şanlıurfa
Cemal YAVUZ
1963
Şanlıurfa
M. BİRLİK
I. Yavuz:
Birecik Civil Court
2005/408E, 2005/564K
20 December 2005
C. Yavuz:
Birecik Civil Court
2005/409E, 2005/565K
20 December 2005
50832/07
13/11/2007
İbrahim KARAHAN
1931
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Plot no. 304
Nizip Civil Court
1999/494E, 1999/4045K
30 December 1999
Plot no. 716
Nizip Civil Court
1999/493E, 1999/3564K
15 December 1999
50839/07
13/11/2007
Yusuf KARAHAN
1964
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/479E, 1999/4212K
30 December 1999
50845/07
13/11/2007
Osman YALÇIN
1939
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/497E,1999/3562K
15 December 1999
51102/07
12/11/2007
Gülizar BAKIR
1942
Gaziantep
S.S.YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/509E, 1999/3559K
15 December 1999
51555/07
14/11/2007
Mehmet YILMAZ
1942
Hatice KÖKMEN
1945
İsmet YILMAZ
1945
Nefis ASLAN
1950
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Plot no. 264
Nizip Civil Court
1999/609E, 2000/78K
1 February 2000
Plot no. 572
Nizip Civil Court
1999/603E, 2000/81K
1 February 2000
Plot no. 604
Nizip Civil Court
1999/601E, 1999/4206K
51582/07
14/11/2007
Abbas KILIÇ
1931
Abbas KILIÇ
1948
Hacı KILIÇ
1940
Zöhre ASLAN
1947
Ayşe KILIÇ
1959
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/537E, 1999/3317K
6 July 2000
51705/07
12/11/2007
Mehmet YILMAZ
1942
Hatice KÖKMEN
1945
İsmet YILMAZ
1945
Nefis ASLAN
1950
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/597E,1999/4153K
30 December 1999
52922/07
20/11/2007
Vedat FIRAT
1964
Abdullah FIRAT
1969
Fadile FIRAT (YILMAZ)
1968
Fazilet FIRAT
1974
Zekeriya FIRAT
1976
Kadriye FIRAT
1959
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Plot no. 631
Nizip Civil Court
1999/483E, 1999/3568K
15 December 1999
Plot no. 680
Nizip Civil Court
1999/531E, 1999/4156K
30 December 1999
26933/08
27/05/2008
Müslüm FIRAT
1943
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/491E, 1999/3565K
15 December 1999
27817/08
29/05/2008
Meryem KARAHAN
1939
Aziz KARAHAN
1962
Zeynep KARAHAN DEMİR
1965
Aynur KARAHAN BOZKURT
1966
Ayhan KARAHAN
1966
Bekir KARAHAN
1981
Fatma KARAHAN
1976
Osman KARAHAN
1981
Nizip
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/489E, 1999/4211K
30 December 1999
28331/08
09/06/2008
Reşit DOĞAN
1974
Fatma IŞIK
1966
Reşit DOĞAN
1945
Mehmet DOĞAN
1963
Şenel DEMİR
İslim DOĞAN
1931
Nizip
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/545E,1999/4155K
30 December 1999
32913/08
20/06/2008
Mahmut ÇİLOĞLU
1941
Gaziantep
M. BİRLİK
Nizip Civil Court
1999/353E,1999/4160K
30 December 1999
33775/08
20/06/2008
İbrahim YALÇINKAYA
1939
Hatice YALÇINKAYA
Gaziantep
M. BİRLİK
Nizip Civil Court
1999/273E, 1999/4167K
30 December 1999
35188/08
20/06/2008
Mehmet KAPLAN
1941
Gaziantep
M. BİRLİK
Nizip Civil Court
1999/358E, 2000/271K
11 April 2000
35190/08
20/06/2008
Mehmet KAPLAN
1941
Gaziantep
M. BİRLİK
Nizip Civil Court
1999/359E, 1999/4159K
30 December 1999
37226/08
18/06/2008
Mehmet YILMAZ
1942
Hatice KÖKMEN
1945
İsmet YILMAZ
1945
Nefis ASLAN
1950
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/607E, 2000/79K
1 February 2000
37227/08
22/04/2008
Hasan KARAHAN
1941
Yusuf KARAHAN
1964
Muhterem ERDOĞAN
1957
Hatice AYHAN
1953
Gözel BAKIR
1953
Medine AYGÜN
1955
Ayşe AYGÜN
1943
Melahat DEMİR
1951
Rukuya KARAHAN
1948
Fatma KARAHAN
1989
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Plot no. 737
Nizip Civil Court
1999/502E, 1999/4305K
30 December 1999
Plot no. 1268
Nizip Civil Court
1999/499E, 1999/3561K
15 December 1999
37229/08
22/04/2008
Mehmet YILMAZ
1942
Hatice KÖKMEN
1945
İsmet YILMAZ
1945
Nefis ASLAN
1950
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/599E, 2000/82K
1 February 2000
37580/08
18/06/2008
Mustafa YILMAZ
1969
Adil YILMAZ
1961
Nazlı YILMAZ
1966
Yaşar YILMAZ
1972
Abdulcelil YILMAZ
1965
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/549E, 1999/3554 K
15 December 1999
37795/08
18/06/2008
Mehmet Sait YILMAZ
1942
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/547E, 1999/4154K
30 December 1999
37801/08
18/06/2008
Ali POLAT
1957
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/536E, 1999/4043K
30 December 1999
44513/08
26/08/2008
Cuma FIRAT
1982
Mehmet YILMAZ
1942
Ayfer YILMAZ
1972
Aynur KILINÇ
1969
Ayşegül KURT
1986
Bülent FIRAT
1974
Cemil FIRAT
1962
Fatma FIRAT
1955
Mehmet FIRAT
1977
Mustafa FIRAT
1978
Zeliha FIRAT
1980
Meral POLAT
1966
Meryem KARAHAN
1965
Songül SÖNMEZ
1976
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Plot no. 571
Nizip Civil Court
1999/508E, 1999/4076K
30 December 1999
Plot no. 642
Nizip Civil Court
1999/501E, 1999/4210K
30 December 1999
45456/08
19/06/2008
Zeynep FIRAT
1926
Gaziantep
M. BİRLİK
Nizip Civil Court
1999/351E, 1999/4161K
30 December 1999
45466/08
19/06/2008
Yasin FIRAT
1952
Gaziantep
M. BİRLİK
Nizip Civil Court
1999/347E, 1999/4162K
30 December 1999
45474/08
19/06/2008
Zeynep FIRAT
1926
Hanım FIRAT
1944
Ömer FIRAT
1962
Osman FIRAT
Ayşe ÖZDEMİR (FIRAT)
1966
Ahmet FIRAT
1959
Hamdi FIRAT
1964
Gaziantep
M. BİRLİK
Nizip Civil Court
1999/341E, 1999/4165K
30 December 1999
52367/08
18/09/2008
Hanım YILMAZ
1942
Celal YILMAZ
1965
Mehmet Sait YILMAZ
1974
Cahit YILMAZ
1968
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1998/1992E, 1999/272K
17 February 1999
27270/10
27/04/2010
Ahmet AKFIRAT
1955
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/4156E, 1999/3290K
18 November 1999
27281/10
27/04/2010
Fayat KIZILIRMAK
1944
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1998/1780E, 1999/201K
3 February 1999
27289/10
27/04/2010
Ahmet AKFIRAT
1955
Ali Kemal AKFIRAT
1955
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/4193E, 1999/3386K
22 November 1999
27299/10
27/04/2010
Dede KOÇAK
1937
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/1741E, 1999/4306K
31 December 1998
27309/10
27/04/2010
Birçim AKFIRAT
1972
Evrim GÜROĞLU
1970
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/4136E, 1999/3274K
18 November 1999
27318/10
27/04/2010
Hayriye AKFIRAT
1936
Ahmet AKFIRAT
1955
Ali Kemal AKFIRAT
1955
Birçim AKFIRAT
1972
Evrim GÜROĞLU
1970
İbrahim Mesut AKFIRAT
1947
Perihan AKFIRAT
1949
Rabia AKFIRAT
Meral KANDEMİR
1960
Metin AKFIRAT
1962
Hadice KANDEMİR
1945
Mehmet AKFIRAT
1951
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/4216E, 1999/3284K
18 November 1999
27324/10
27/04/2010
Birçim AKFIRAT
1972
Evrim GÜROĞLU
1970
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/4236E, 1999 3235K
18 November 1999
27372/10
27/04/2010
Hayriye AKFIRAT
1936
Ahmet AKFIRAT
1955
Ali Kemal AKFIRAT
1955
Birçim AKFIRAT
1972
Evrim
GÜROĞLU
1970
İbrahim Mesut AKFIRAT
1947
Perihan AKFIRAT
1949
Rabia AKFIRAT
Meral KANDEMİR
1960
Metin AKFIRAT
1962
Hadice KANDEMİR
1945
Mehmet AKFIRAT
1951
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/4114E, 1999/3287K
18 November 1999
27375/10
27/04/2010
Hayriye AKFIRAT
1936
Ahmet AKFIRAT
1955
Ali Kemal AKFIRAT
1955
Birçim AKFIRAT
1972
Evrim GÜROĞLU
1970
İbrahim Mesut AKFIRAT
1947
Perihan AKFIRAT
1949
Rabia AKFIRAT
Meral KANDEMİR
1960
Metin AKFIRAT
1962
Hadice KANDEMİR
1945
Mehmet AKFIRAT
1951
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/4204E, 1999/3272K
18 November 1999
27376/10
27/04/2010
Hayriye AKFIRAT
1936
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/4106E, 1999/3280K
18 November 1999
27379/10
27/04/2010
Hayriye AKFIRAT
1936
Ahmet AKFIRAT
1955
Ali Kemal AKFIRAT
1955
Birçim AKFIRAT
1972
Evrim GÜROĞLU
1970
İbrahim Mesut AKFIRAT
1947
Perihan AKFIRAT
1949
Rabia AKFIRAT
Meral KANDEMİR
1960
Metin AKFIRAT
1962
Hadice KANDEMİR
1945
Mehmet AKFIRAT
1951
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/4185E, 1999/3431K
6 December 1999
27381/10
27/04/2010
Hayriye AKFIRAT
1936
Ahmet AKFIRAT
1955
Ali Kemal AKFIRAT
1955
Birçim AKFIRAT
1972
Evrim GÜROĞLU
1970
İbrahim Mesut AKFIRAT
1947
Perihan AKFIRAT
1949
Rabia AKFIRAT
Meral KANDEMİR
1960
Metin AKFIRAT
1962
Hadice KANDEMİR
1945
Mehmet AKFIRAT
1951
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/4213E,1999/3349K
18 November 1999
27384/10
27/04/2010
Hayriye AKFIRAT
1936
Ahmet AKFIRAT
1955
Ali Kemal AKFIRAT
1955
Birçim AKFIRAT
1972
Evrim GÜROĞLU
1970
İbrahim Mesut AKFIRAT
1947
Perihan AKFIRAT
1949
Rabia AKFIRAT
Gaziantep
Meral KANDEMIR
1960
Metin AKFIRAT
1962
Hadice KANDEMİR
1945
Mehmet AKFIRAT
1951
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/4203E, 1999/3381K
22 November 1999
27389/10
27/04/2010
Hayriye AKFIRAT
1936
Ahmet AKFIRAT
1955
Ali Kemal AKFIRAT
1955
Birçim AKFIRAT
1972
Evrim GÜROĞLU
1970
İbrahim Mesut AKFIRAT
1947
Perihan AKFIRAT
1949
Rabia AKFIRAT
Meral KANDEMİR
1960
Metin AKFIRAT
1962
Hadice KANDEMİR
1945
Mehmet AKFIRAT
1951
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1998/4108E,1999/3262K
18 November 1999
27402/10
27/04/2010
Zühal AKFIRAT
1950
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/4235E, 1999/3439K
6 December 1999
27403/10
27/04/2010
Zühal AKFIRAT
1950
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/4241E, 1999/3380K
22 November 1999
27421/10
27/04/2010
Dede KOÇAK
1937
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1998/1740E, 1999/60K
3 February 1999
27431/10
27/04/2010
Birçim AKFIRAT
1972
Evrim GÜROĞLU
1970
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/4226E, 1999/3276K
18 November 1999
27435/10
27/04/2010
Birçim AKFIRAT
1972
Evrim GÜROĞLU
1970
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/4148E, 1999/3297 K
18 November 1999
27452/10
27/04/2010
Ali Kemal AKFIRAT
1955
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1998/1968E, 1999/169K
3 February 1999
27456/10
27/04/2010
Mehmet KIZILIRMAK
1927
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/4126E, 1999/3294K
18 November 1999
27460/10
27/04/2010
Fidan KIZILIRMAK
1932
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1998/1799E, 1999/301K
26 February 1999
27461/10
27/04/2010
Bedir KIZILIRMAK
1962
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1998/1804E, 1999/123K
3 February 1999
27462/10
27/04/2010
Sayim ÖZDEMİR
1941
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1998/1718E, 1999/97K
3 February 1999
27466/10
27/04/2010
Şaban ÖZDEMİR
1936
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1998/1785E, 1999/306K
26 February 1999
27476/10
27/04/2010
İsa KOÇAK
1944
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1998/1770E, 1999/204K
3 February 1999
27478/10
27/04/2010
İsa KOÇAK
1944
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/4210E, 1999/3273K
18 November 1999
27479/10
27/04/2010
İdris KOÇAK
1964
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1998/1732E, 1999/21K
3 February 1999
27481/10
27/04/2010
Şemdin KOÇAK
1955
Gaziantep
S.S. YILMAZ
Nizip Civil Court
1999/4244E, 1999/3291K
18 November 1999
Full & Egal Universal Law Academy