Information Note on the Court’s case-law 44
July 2002
Selim v. Cyprus - 47293/99
Judgment 16.7.2002 [Section IV]
Article 12
Marry
Impossibility for Muslim Turkish Cypriot to contract civil marriage: friendly settlement
The applicant, a Cypriot national of Turkish origin, wished to marry a Romanian national. He was informed by the Cypriot authorities that the Marriage Law did not provide the possibility for a Turkish Cypriot professing the Muslim faith to contract a civil marriage. As a result, the applicant had to marry in Romania.
The parties have reached a friendly settlement providing for payment to the applicant of 5,080 Cypriot pounds by way of just satisfaction and 3,000 Cypriot pounds plus VAT by way of legal costs. Furthermore, Law 46(I)/2002, enacted in April 2002, extended the application of the Marriage Law to the members of the Turkish community, with the effect that they can now contract civil marriage under the provisions of the Marriage Law. Finally, a bill for a new Civil Marriage Law which will apply to all Cypriots without distinction of origin has been laid before Parliament.
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