SECOND SECTION
DECISION
Application no. 73706/14
Fadime OSMA and others against Turkey
and 107 other applications
(see appended table)
The European Court of Human Rights (Second Section), sitting on 13 September 2018 as a Committee composed of:
Valeriu Griţco, President,
Jon Fridrik Kjølbro,
Stéphanie Mourou-Vikström, judges,
and Liv Tigerstedt, Acting Deputy Section Registrar,
Having regard to the above applications lodged on the various dates indicated in the appended table,
Having regard to the declarations submitted by the respondent Government requesting the Court to strike the applications out of the list of cases,
Having deliberated, decides as follows:
FACTS AND PROCEDURE
The list of the applicants is set out in the appended table.
The applicants were represented by Mr Adil Aktay and Mr Uktu Çağrı Aktay, lawyers practising in Mersin.
The applicants complained about the financial loss they had suffered as a result of late payment of the expropriation amounts. In this connection, they maintained that no interest had been applied to the amounts awarded by the domestic courts. They relied on Article 1 of Protocol no.1 to the Convention.
The applications were communicated to the Turkish Government (“the Government”).
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.
After unsuccessful friendly-settlement negotiations, The Government informed the Court that they proposed to make unilateral declarations with a view to resolving the issues raised by these complaints. They further requested the Court to strike out the applications in accordance with Article 37 of the Convention.
The Government acknowledged that the failure of the domestic courts to apply any default interest to the respective compensation amounts constituted an excessive burden on the applicants and breached their right to peaceful enjoyment of their possessions in the light of the Court’s case-law in Dökmeci v. Turkey, no. 428/10, 6 December 2016.
They offered to pay the applicants the amounts detailed in the appended table and invited the Court to strike the applications out of the list of cases in accordance with Article 37 § 1 (c) of the Convention. The amounts would be converted into the currency of the respondent State at the rate applicable on the date of payment, and would be payable within three months from the date of notification of the Court’s decision. In the event of failure to pay these amounts within the above-mentioned three-month period, the Government undertook to pay simple interest on them, from the expiry of that period until settlement, at a rate equal to the marginal lending rate of the European Central Bank during the default period plus three percentage points.
The payment will constitute the final resolution of the cases.
The applicants were sent the terms of the Government’s unilateral declarations several weeks before the date of this decision. The Court has not received a response from the applicants accepting the terms of the declarations.
The Court observes that Article 37 § 1 (c) enables it to strike a case out of its list if:
“... for any other reason established by the Court, it is no longer justified to continue the examination of the application”.
Thus, it may strike out applications under Article 37 § 1 (c) on the basis of a unilateral declaration by a respondent Government even if the applicants wish the examination of the cases to be continued (see, in particular, Tahsin Acar v. Turkey (preliminary objections) [GC], no. 26307/95, §§ 75‑77, ECHR 2003-VI).
The Court has established case-law concerning similar complaints relating to the applicants’ property rights under Article 1 of Protocol no.1 to the Convention (see Dökmeci, cited above).
Noting the admission contained in the Government’s declarations as well as the amount of compensation proposed – which is consistent with the amounts awarded in similar cases – the Court considers that it is no longer justified to continue the examination of the applications (Article 37 § 1 (c)).
In the light of the above considerations, the Court is satisfied that respect for human rights as defined in the Convention and the Protocols thereto does not require it to continue the examination of the applications (Article 37 § 1 in fine).
Finally, the Court emphasises that, should the Government fail to comply with the terms of their unilateral declarations, the applications may be restored to the list in accordance with Article 37 § 2 of the Convention (Josipović v. Serbia (dec.), no. 18369/07, 4 March 2008).
In view of the above, it is appropriate to strike the cases out of the list.
For these reasons, the Court, unanimously,
Decides to join the applications;
Takes note of the terms of the respondent Government’s declarations and of the arrangements for ensuring compliance with the undertakings referred to therein;
Decides to strike the applications out of its list of cases in accordance with Article 37 § 1 (c) of the Convention.
Done in English and notified in writing on 4 October 2018.
Liv TigerstedtValeriu Griţco
Acting Deputy RegistrarPresident
APPENDIX
List of applications raising complaints under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 to the Convention
(Financial loss suffered by the applicants as a result of late payment of the expropriation amounts and lack of interest)
No.
Application no.
Date of introduction
Applicant’s name
Date of birth
Date of receipt of Government’s declaration
Amount awarded for pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage and costs and expenses per application
(in euros)[i]
73706/14
13/11/2014
Fadime Osma
10/05/1952
Ayşe Başcı
12/02/1931
Ayşe Güleç
01/05/1949
30/03/2018
63
74079/14
20/11/2014
Mitat Bozcu
12/02/1956
30/03/2018
39
74114/14
20/11/2014
Hamit Varlı
15/08/1937
30/03/2018
324
74133/14
13/11/2014
Mitat Bozcu
12/02/1956
30/03/2018
54
74269/14
20/11/2014
Mehmet Şimşek
01/05/1961
Emine Günmala
08/11/1964
Emiş Kılınç
10/05/1967
Ali Şimşek
10/12/1982
Esmahan Şimşek
25/03/1939
Fadime Şimşek
25/06/1959
Yusuf Şimşek
01/05/1963
Nazlı Yıldız
22/01/1980
30/03/2018
5,255
74341/14
20/11/2014
Naciye Evci
01/01/1959
Ayşe Yakalı
14/08/1950
30/03/2018
1,732
75602/14
29/11/2014
Kiraz Altunay
04/05/1939
Ayhan Altunay
18/11/1963
Hasibe Altunay
18/04/1971
Mehmet Altunay
20/05/1961
Ayşe Başcı
20/06/1966
30/03/2018
1,499
75615/14
29/11/2014
Esmahan Şimşek
25/03/1939
Yusuf Şimşek
01/05/1963
Emine Günmala
08/11/1964
Emiş Kılınç
10/05/1967
Ali Şimşek
10/12/1982
Fadime Şimşek
25/06/1959
Mehmet Şimşek
01/05/1961
Nazlı Yıldız
22/01/1980
30/03/2018
94
75658/14
29/11/2014
İbrahim Benez
02/02/1946
30/03/2018
3,370
75679/14
29/11/2014
Mehmet Ali Aygün
23/02/1929
30/03/2018
4,079
75680/14
29/11/2014
Ahmet Aktepe
06/12/1970
30/03/2018
643
75687/14
29/11/2014
Mitat Bozcu
12/02/1956
30/03/2018
2,953
75689/14
29/11/2014
Ayşe Başcı
12/02/1931
30/03/2018
1,202
75693/14
29/11/2014
Fadime Başcı
18/04/1936
30/03/2018
2,186
75700/14
29/11/2014
Ayşe Ünlü
24/12/1942
Mehmet Albayrak
10/05/1970
30/03/2018
769
75798/14
29/11/2014
Serkan Keşyapan
07/02/1982
Erdal Keşyapan
01/03/1980
İsmail Keşyapan
01/12/1977
Ahmet Keşyapan
01/03/1976
30/03/2018
2,745
76365/14
29/11/2014
Mehmet Aktepe
15/07/1938
30/03/2018
3,078
76416/14
29/11/2014
Fatma Başcı
26/08/1933
30/03/2018
469
76480/14
29/11/2014
Nuray Aktepe
01/07/1960
30/03/2018
138
76486/14
29/11/2014
Ayşe Başcı
01/01/1969
30/03/2018
1,604
76512/14
29/11/2014
Emine Altunay
16/09/1933
Ali Altunay
15/05/1954
Hüseyin Altunay
14/10/1970
Necati Altunay
22/01/1957
Ummahan Başcı
15/05/1963
Fatma Düzenli
26/11/1958
30/03/2018
739
76792/14
05/12/2014
Emine Altunay
16/09/1933
30/03/2018
2,370
76959/14
29/11/2014
Nursel Davranan
01/05/1966
30/03/2018
926
77004/14
01/12/2014
Osman Osma
08/09/1955
Zübeyde Deniz
01/11/1971
Şadiye Ersoy
01/04/1967
Şadiye Karadenizli
04/02/1963
Mustafa Osma
20/08/1960
Şerife Polat
01/01/1959
Asiye Yeşilyaprak
11/05/1947
30/03/2018
2,034
77070/14
05/12/2014
Nuray Aktepe
01/07/1960
30/03/2018
12,570
77113/14
05/12/2014
Şükran Ünlü
20/10/1973
30/03/2018
1,460
77117/14
05/12/2014
Ayşe Ünlü
24/12/1942
Ahmet Albayrak
01/09/1964
Mehmet Albayrak
10/05/1970
30/03/2018
741
77211/14
05/12/2014
Hakkı Altunay
10/05/1954
30/03/2018
748
77942/14
11/12/2014
Ali Başcı
01/06/1954
30/03/2018
77
77962/14
11/12/2014
Dursun Aktepe
15/06/1964
30/03/2018
4,635
77965/14
11/12/2014
İbrahim Necati Atalık
14/04/1929
İbrahim Rafet Atalık
01/10/1968
30/03/2018
11,500
77989/14
11/12/2014
Erol Şimşek
25/07/1972
30/03/2018
2,995
77992/14
11/12/2014
Kiraz Alan
08/10/1961
30/03/2018
1,110
77997/14
11/12/2014
Şerife Kırındı
04/03/1951
30/03/2018
8,470
78452/14
11/12/2014
Hüseyin Altunay
08/04/1965
Ali Altunay
25/07/1967
Osman Altunay
15/10/1963
Süleyman Altunay
05/04/1980
Yüksel Altunay
26/09/1970
30/03/2018
1,320
78557/14
05/12/2014
Fadime Meryem Göknar
02/09/1936
30/03/2018
825
78575/14
05/12/2014
Fadime Doğan
15/09/1948
30/03/2018
110
78581/14
11/12/2014
Mehmet Aktepe
15/07/1938
30/03/2018
950
78583/14
05/12/2014
Mustafa Topak
02/12/1960
30/03/2018
81
78585/14
05/12/2014
Mehmet Aktepe
15/07/1938
30/03/2018
3,270
78586/14
05/12/2014
Şerife Koyuncu
01/03/1962
30/03/2018
1,520
78636/14
05/12/2014
Ali Biltekin
25/01/1960
30/03/2018
58
1148/15
31/12/2014
Emine Ersoy
15/03/1938
30/03/2018
320
1166/15
31/12/2014
Muhammet Durmaz
11/02/1949
30/03/2018
1,410
1600/15
24/12/2014
Osman Ünlü
20/05/1952
30/03/2018
1,360
1619/15
24/12/2014
İbrahim Benez
02/02/1946
30/03/2018
1,609
1630/15
24/12/2014
Adil Yıldırım
13/04/1955
30/03/2018
324
1640/15
24/12/2014
Hüseyin Başcı
05/01/1936
30/03/2018
3,370
1650/15
24/12/2014
Hasgül Başcı
11/10/1954
30/03/2018
1,040
2418/15
31/12/2014
Fatma Gerçek
18/12/1936
30/03/2018
4,920
2432/15
31/12/2014
Zehra Keşyapan
03/10/1952
Erdal Keşyapan
01/03/1980
İsmail Keşyapan
01/12/1977
Serkan Keşyapan
07/02/1982
30/03/2018
12
2466/15
24/12/2014
Ayşe Kırındı
05/04/1965
30/03/2018
920
4016/15
15/01/2015
Hidayet Göksu
01/01/1966
30/03/2018
1,110
4089/15
15/01/2015
Hamdi Başar
05/01/1943
30/03/2018
555
4101/15
15/01/2015
Safire Şenkal
15/10/1972
30/03/2018
22
5085/15
15/01/2015
Adil Yıldırım
13/04/1955
30/03/2018
136
12855/15
09/03/2015
Erol Şimşek
25/07/1972
Emine Dağ
15/07/1966
Ali Şimşek
04/08/1960
Salahaddin Şimşek
15/10/1968
Asiye Yeşilyaprak
10/11/1957
30/03/2018
5,040
12893/15
09/03/2015
Mehmet Karaöz
04/05/1979
30/03/2018
220
13143/15
09/03/2015
Elmas Çalışkan
01/12/1968
30/03/2018
1,125
13175/15
09/03/2015
Salim Sözen
01/01/1968
30/03/2018
115
14169/15
09/03/2015
Şifa Şahin Yılmaz
06/02/1955
Aynur Güney
01/03/1962
30/03/2018
16,175
14807/15
09/03/2015
İbrahim Benez
02/02/1946
30/03/2018
2,590
18743/15
15/04/2015
Mitat Bozcu
12/02/1956
30/03/2018
30
19172/15
15/04/2015
Mitat Bozcu
12/02/1956
30/03/2018
49
19184/15
15/04/2015
Sultan Koraş
05/04/1959
30/03/2018
148
19190/15
15/04/2015
Fadime Doğan
15/09/1948
30/03/2018
424
19199/15
15/04/2015
Mevlüt Başcı
05/02/1956
30/03/2018
126
20132/15
22/04/2015
Safire Şenkal
15/10/1972
30/03/2018
360
20145/15
22/04/2015
Fatma Başcı
26/08/1933
30/03/2018
95
20153/15
22/04/2015
Hidayet Göksu
01/01/1966
30/03/2018
94
20217/15
22/04/2015
Fatma Başcı
26/08/1933
30/03/2018
335
20669/15
22/04/2015
Veysel Başcı
18/01/1968
30/03/2018
3,090
20693/15
22/04/2015
Ahmet Çelik
25/12/1965
30/03/2018
290
20778/15
22/04/2015
Mehmet Gündüz
18/07/1968
Hanım Çeyiz
25/02/1972
30/03/2018
330
20942/15
25/04/2015
Kudret Arslan
24/04/1948
30/03/2018
605
21040/15
25/04/2015
Mehmet Başcı
01/04/1967
30/03/2018
1,590
22217/15
04/05/2015
Mustafa Pişkin
05/03/1954
30/03/2018
215
22266/15
04/05/2015
Fadime Başcı
18/04/1936
30/03/2018
72
22269/15
04/05/2015
Ahmet Bardak
01/01/1934
30/03/2018
485
22273/15
04/05/2015
Zehra Keşyapan
03/10/1952
30/03/2018
1,455
22287/15
04/05/2015
Mehmet Şahiner
29/06/1987
Yıldız Bozcu
16/06/1983
Yılmaz Şahiner
01/06/1981
Nesibe Akbulut
08/09/1965
Fadime Doğan
15/09/1948
Ayşe Yıldırım
14/01/1956
30/03/2018
970
22304/15
04/05/2015
Adil Yıldırım
13/04/1955
30/03/2018
46
22344/15
04/05/2015
Ali Doğan
03/03/1958
30/03/2018
420
22353/15
04/05/2015
Dürüye Ersoy
26/01/1951
Alime Köy
01/07/1984
Hürü Yeşilyaprak
15/04/1981
30/03/2018
525
22766/15
04/05/2015
Mehmet Gürbüz
15/01/1965
30/03/2018
495
23089/15
04/05/2015
Mehmet Sözen
20/03/1930
30/03/2018
645
23100/15
04/05/2015
Mustafa Kırındı
01/09/1968
30/03/2018
135
23158/15
08/05/2015
Mehmet Çelik
18/08/1942
30/03/2018
100
23321/15
04/05/2015
Safiye Altunsoy
05/05/1972
30/03/2018
135
25829/15
20/05/2015
Emine Civelek
02/11/1962
30/03/2018
720
26246/15
20/05/2015
Ayşe Başcı
12/02/1931
30/03/2018
49
26264/15
20/05/2015
Esmahan Şimşek
25/03/1939
Esmahan Şimşek
25/03/1939
Yusuf Şimşek
01/05/1963
30/03/2018
3,490
26639/15
20/05/2015
Mehmet Ünlü
01/04/1965
30/03/2018
840
26761/15
20/05/2015
Etem Pirgon
14/02/1947
Servet Ataç
28/12/1950
Mehmet Pirgon
28/03/1958
30/03/2018
415
27224/15
01/06/2015
Mehmet Asar
01/07/1944
30/03/2018
304
29167/15
27/05/2015
Mehmet Ali Başcı
11/09/1929
Ahmet Başcı
15/04/1964
Fadime Başcı
20/11/1950
Mehmet Başcı
04/03/1947
Mustafa Başcı
01/04/1960
Veysel Başcı
18/01/1968
Kezziban Dağ
20/05/1972
Emine Kaynar
15/05/1952
30/03/2018
478
30730/15
10/06/2015
Hidayet Göksu
01/01/1966
30/03/2018
184
30736/15
10/06/2015
Mehmet Çelik
18/08/1942
30/03/2018
9,400
31633/15
12/06/2015
Nesibe Akbulut
08/09/1965
30/03/2018
733
34379/15
07/07/2015
Şerife Gürbüz
14/10/1934
30/03/2018
170
34386/15
07/07/2015
Ayşe Görgülü
20/10/1945
Şerife Dündar
31/01/1950
Abdullah Osma
14/07/1956
Tahsin Osma
01/02/1949
Gülşen Sirke
04/03/1955
30/03/2018
66
35352/15
11/07/2015
Ayşe Yıldırım
14/01/1956
30/03/2018
92
36779/15
11/07/2015
Hikmet Göksu
21/11/1969
Gülşen Çetiner
12/03/1962
Mehmet Göksu
21/11/1969
Mümün Göksu
21/07/1964
30/03/2018
225
36814/15
11/07/2015
Emine Ersoy
15/03/1938
30/03/2018
825
42161/15
18/08/2015
Zehra Bükcü
01/01/1936
30/03/2018
1,831
50043/15
06/10/2015
Yılmaz Şahiner
01/06/1981
Yıldız Bozcu
16/06/1983
Mehmet Şahiner
29/06/1987
30/03/2018
58
50049/15
06/10/2015
Ali Başar
12/12/1937
30/03/2018
1,298
57064/15
13/11/2015
Zahide Karaöz
01/07/1944
30/03/2018
17
[i]. Plus any tax that may be chargeable to the applicants.
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