CEDH · CASELAW;DECISIONS;DECGRANDCHAMBER;ENG — 1 mars 2010

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They were born in 1922, 1933 and 1961 respectively and live in Nicosia. They are represented before the Court by Mr A. Demetriades, a lawyer practising in Nicosia. –     Application no. 3843/02: Mrs Evoulla Chrysostomi was born in 1936 and lives in Limassol. She is represented before the Court by Scordis, Papapetrou & Co and Adamos K. Adamides & Co, lawyers practising in Nicosia. –     Application no. 13751/02: Mr Demetrios Lordos was born in 1943 and lives in Limassol. The second applicant, Mrs Ariana Lordou Anastasiadou, was born in 1972 and lives in Nicosia. They are represented before the Court by Mr A. Demetriades, a lawyer practising in Nicosia. –     Application no. 13466/03: Mrs Eleni Kanari-Eliadou, Mr Andreas Papanicolaou, Mrs Chrystofoulla Papanicolaou and Mrs Maroulla Andrea ‑ Hadjinicolaou were born in 1939, 1948, 1949 and 1940 respectively and live in the Nicosia district. They are represented before the Court by Ms   E.   Vourkidou, a lawyer practising in Nicosia. –     Application no. 10200/04: Mrs Sofia (Pitsa) Thoma Kilara Sotiriou and Mrs   Nina Thoma Kilara Moushoutta were born in 1938 and 1936 respectively and live in Nicosia. They are represented before the Court by Mr   Ch.   Clerides, a lawyer practising in Nicosia. –     Application no. 14163/04: Mr Yiannis Stylas was born in 1935 and lives in Nicosia. He is represented before the Court by Mr C. Triantafyllides, a lawyer practising in Nicosia. –     Application no. 19993/04: Mrs Evdokia Charalambou Onoufriou, Mr   Nicolas Charalambou Onoufriou, Mr Dimitris Charalambou Onoufriou and Mr Charalambos Onoufriou were born in 1945, 1972, 1962 and 1938 respectively. The last-named died in 2005 and was succeeded by the other three applicants. The remaining applicants live in Lakatamia. They are represented before the Court by Mr A. Neocleous, a lawyer practising in Nicosia. –     Application no. 21819/04: Ms Irini (Rena) Chrisostomou (née Savvopoulou), was born in 1945 and lives in Larnaca. She is represented before the Court by Mr A. Markides and Mr P. Polyviou, lawyers practising in Nicosia. 2.     The applicants were represented at the oral hearing by Mr Anderson QC, Mr Demetriades, Mr Markides, Mr Clerides, Ms Vourkidou Liasides and Mr Neocleous, Counsel, assisted by Ms Loizides, Mr Paraskeva, Mr   Polyviou, Mr Arakelian, Mr Angelides, Mr Liasides and Mr Leach, Advisers. The applicants, Mr Demetrios Lordos, Ms Evdokia Charalambou Onoufriou, Mr Dimitris Onoufriou and Mr Nicolas Onoufriou, also attended the hearing. 3.     The Turkish Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent, as were the Cypriot Government (“the intervening Government”). At the oral hearing they were represented as follows: the Government by Mr Necatigil, Agent, assisted by Sir Michael Wood, Counsel, and Mr Talmon, Ms Karabacak, Mr Uras, Mr Esener, Ms Akçay, Ms   Akyüzlü Aylanç, Ms Akpak and Mr Furlong, Advisers. The intervening Government were represented by Mr Clerides, Agent, assisted by Lord   Lester of Herne Hill QC, Mr Lowe QC, Mr Saini QC, Mr Richards and Mrs   Joannides, Counsel. A.     General context 4.     The complaints raised in these applications arise out of the Turkish military operations in northern Cyprus in July and August 1974 and the continuing division of the territory of Cyprus. At the time of the Court’s consideration of the merits of the Loizidou v. Turkey case in 1996, the Turkish military presence at the material time was described in the following terms (see Loizidou v. Turkey (merits), 18 December 1996, §§   16 ‑ 17, Reports of Judgments and Decisions 1996 ‑ VI): “16.     Turkish armed forces of more than 30,000 personnel are stationed throughout the whole of the occupied area of northern Cyprus, which is constantly patrolled and has checkpoints on all main lines of communication. The army’s headquarters are in Kyrenia. The 28th Infantry Division is based in Asha (Assia) with its sector covering Famagusta to the Mia Milia suburb of Nicosia and with about 14,500 personnel. The 39th Infantry Division, with about 15,500 personnel, is based at Myrtou village, and its sector ranges from Yerolakkos village to Lefka. TOURDYK (Turkish Forces in Cyprus under the Treaty of Guarantee) is stationed at Orta Keuy village near Nicosia, with a sector running from Nicosia International Airport to the Pedhieos River. A Turkish naval command and outpost are based at Famagusta and Kyrenia respectively. Turkish airforce personnel are based at Lefkoniko, Krini and other airfields. The Turkish airforce is stationed on the Turkish mainland at Adana. 17.     The Turkish forces and all civilians entering military areas are subject to Turkish military courts, as stipulated so far as concerns ‘TRNC [Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus] citizens’ by the Prohibited Military Areas Decree of 1979 (section   9) and Article 156 of the Constitution of the ‘TRNC’.” 5.     A major development in the continuing division of Cyprus occurred in November 1983 with the proclamation of the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” (the “TRNC”) and the subsequent enactment of the “TRNC” Constitution on 7 May 1985. This development was condemned by the international community. On 18 November 1983 the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 541 (1983) declaring the proclamation of the establishment of the “TRNC” legally invalid and calling upon all States not to recognise any Cypriot State other than the Republic of Cyprus. In November 1983 the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe decided that it continued to regard the government of the Republic of Cyprus as the sole legitimate government of Cyprus and called for respect of the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and unity of the Republic of Cyprus. 6.     According to the submissions of the respondent Government in the inter-State case (see Cyprus v. Turkey [GC], no. 25781/94, § 15, ECHR 2001 ‑ IV), the “TRNC” was a democratic and constitutional State which was politically independent of all other sovereign States including Turkey, and the administration in northern Cyprus had been set up by the Turkish   Cypriot people in the exercise of its right to self-determination and not by Turkey. Notwithstanding this view, the Court held that it was only the Cypriot Government which was recognised internationally as the Government of the Republic of Cyprus in the context of diplomatic and treaty relations and the working of international organisations (ibid.). 7.     The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (“UNFICYP”) has maintained a buffer zone between the two sides. A number of political initiatives have been taken at the level of the United Nations by successive Secretaries-General aimed at settling the Cyprus problem on the basis of institutional arrangements acceptable to both sides. The m ost notable initiative was Kofi Annan ’s Comprehensive Settlement of the Cyprus Problem (also known as “the Annan Plan”). 8.     After four years of revisions and negotiations, the fifth version of the Annan Plan called for the establishment of the United Cyprus Republic (“the UCR”), which would include two constituent States: a predominantly Greek Cypriot one in the south, eventually comprising about 71% of the land area of Cyprus; and a predominantly Turkish Cypriot one in the north, comprising about 29% of the land area. Cypriots would be citizens both of the UCR and of the appropriate constituent State. 9.     On 24 April 2004 the final version of the Annan Plan was presented to the Greek and Turkish Cypriots for separate referenda. Under the terms of the Annan Plan, the UCR would be established if both sides agreed and voted yes in their respective referenda. There were several controversies in the text, however, such as issues of property and freedom of movement, which led to pessimism about the likelihood of the Annan Plan successfully passing. However, it became apparent that the Turkish Cypriots would vote yes on 24 April 2004, making a UCR possible. The Annan Plan failed to pass, however, because even though 65% of Turkish Cypriots accepted the settlement plan, 76% of Greek Cypriots rejected it. 10.     The Annan Plan had provided for the property rights of Greek Cypriots to be balanced against the rights of those now living in the homes or using the land, some of them Turkish Cypriot refugees from the south of the island, who had lost homes of their own, but many of them Turkish settlers. The exact numbers of Turkish settlers was disputed; the Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs had claimed it was over 100,000. The Annan Plan capped the number of settlers who could be given citizenship of Cyprus at 45,000. 11.     Article 10 of the Annan Plan contained a detailed and complex treatment of property claims. Firstly, in areas subject to territorial adjustment, properties would be restored to their former dispossessed owners. In areas not subject to territorial adjustment, the following regime was envisaged. Dispossessed owners (as well as institutions), who opted for compensation would receive full and effective compensation for their property on the basis of its value at the time of dispossession adjusted to reflect the appreciation of property values in comparable locations. Compensation would be paid in the form of guaranteed bonds and appreciation certificates. 12.     All other dispossessed owners had the right to reinstatement of one-third of the value and one-third of the area of their total property ownership, and to receive full and effective compensation for the remaining two-thirds. However, they had the right to reinstatement of a dwelling they had built, or in which they had lived for at least ten years, and up to one donum [1] of adjacent land, even if this was worth more than one-third of the total value and area of their properties. Dispossessed owners could choose any of their properties for reinstatement, except for properties that had been exchanged by a current user or bought by a significant improver in accordance with the scheme. A dispossessed owner whose property could not be reinstated or who voluntarily deferred to a current user had the right to another property of equal size and value in the same municipality or village. They could also sell their entitlement to another dispossessed owner from the same place. The latter could in turn aggregate it with their own entitlement. 13.     Current users (defined as persons who had possession of properties of dispossessed owners as a result of an administrative decision) could apply for and would receive title of the property if they agreed in exchange to renounce their title to a property of similar value in the other constituent State, of which they were dispossessed. Persons who owned significant improvements to properties could apply for and would receive title to such properties provided they paid for the value of the property in its original state. Furthermore, current users who were Cypriot citizens and were required to vacate property to be reinstated would not be required to do so until adequate alternative accommodation had been made available. 14.     Property claims would be administered by “an independent, impartial Property Board, governed by an equal number of members from each constituent State, as well as non-Cypriot members”. 15.     Article 5 § 2 of Annex VII required: “United Cyprus Republic ... pursuant to Article 37 of the European Convention on Human Rights ... and invoking the fact that the Foundation Agreement is providing a domestic remedy for the solution of all questions related to affected property, inform the European Court of Human Rights ... that the United Cyprus Republic shall therefore be the sole responsible State Party and request the Court to strike out any proceedings currently before it concerning affected property in order to allow the domestic mechanism agreed to solve these cases to proceed.” 16.     Under the limits which Article 3 of the Annan Plan would place on the numbers of former residents allowed to return, only over-65s would have been able to go back to their homes between the second and fifth years; returnees could amount to no more than 6% of the population of the village up to the ninth year, 12% up to the fourteenth year and 18% up to the nineteenth year or Turkey’s accession to the European Union, whichever came earlier. B.     The particular circumstances of the cases 17.     The facts of the cases, as submitted by the parties, may be summarised as follows. 18.     All the applicants, Greek Cypriots, claimed to own or partly own immovable and/or movable property in the northern part of Cyprus under the control of the “TRNC”. The applicants claimed that since August 1974 they had been deprived of their property rights, all their property being located in the area which is under the occupation and the control of the Turkish military forces. The latter prevented them from having access to and from using and enjoying their homes, property and possessions in northern Cyprus. Details of all properties were contained in the Court’s case files. 1.     Demopoulos and Others, application no. 46113/99 19.     The first applicant stated that he owned seventeen plots of land in Morphou. These plots were surrounded by fences, planted with trees and consisted of a residence, storage rooms and water installations. Moreover, he claimed to own a further nine plots of land situated in Morphou. One of these plots had been separated into nine building sites. The applicant had intended to turn the remainder of the plots into building sites and had to that effect lodged applications with the land authorities. Furthermore, he stated that he owned or partly owned two plots of land situated in Galini, on one of which he had planned to build a hotel. 20.     The second applicant claimed to own five plots of land situated in Galini as well as half a share in a plot of land in Derinia. In addition, she owned six plots of land in Kato Zodia that she had intended to turn into building plots. 21.     Finally, the third applicant claimed to be the owner of a plot of land in Morphou and a house built thereon, as well as the latter’s contents which comprised a collection of antiques and a selection of domestic equipment. Ownership of this property had been transferred to her by her father (the first applicant) in 1997. This house had been the family home of all the applicants. 22.     On 28 May 2003 the applicants sought to add nine further properties to their application. On 27 June 2008 they sent a letter identifying eleven more properties. 2.     Chrysostomi, application no. 3843/02 23.     The applicant claimed to be the owner of six plots of land in the town of Famagusta as well as two plots of land in the village of Dherynia. She was also the owner of, inter alia , two houses, one of which was the home where she had lived with her family, an orange grove and four shops, all situated on certain of the above-mentioned plots of land. These properties had been transferred by way of gift to the applicant by her mother on 6 June 1974. She maintained that from then onwards the income from renting out the four shops and from the produce of the orange grove had belonged to her. 3.     Lordos and Lordou Anastasiadou, application no. 13751/02 24.     The applicants were father and daughter. They were both born and raised in Famagusta. The first applicant claimed to be the owner or part-owner of a substantial amount of immovable property situated in Famagusta and Kyrenia (169 listed items). This included a considerable number of plots of land, buildings, flats, shops, houses and hotels: there were listed approximately 134 plots of land and/or building sites and/or fields, seventeen flats, six shops, three buildings, four houses and two hotels. Some of the property was acquired before 1974; other property was obtained by transfer or inheritance subsequently. Furthermore, both applicants had had their home in Famagusta in property in an apartment block purchased by the first applicant for himself, his wife and his daughter, the second applicant. 4.     Kanari-Eliadou and Others, application no. 13466/03 25.     The applicants were all born and raised in the village of Ayios Georgios, Kyrenia. The second and third applicants were husband and wife. 26.     The applicants claimed to own the following immovable property in the district of Kyrenia: the first applicant owned a plot with a fully furnished house, which had been acquired in 1962 and had been used as her home. The second applicant owned five plots of land, one of which was cultivated with olive trees, and the title of which had been registered in the applicant’s name on 29 August 1989. The third applicant owned a plot with a house, one floor of which had been used partly as the home of the second and third applicants and the other rented out. The fourth applicant owned, in whole or in part, thirty plots of land, including one plot with a fully furnished house and the others consisting of fields or plots with lemon or olive trees. The title of some property had been registered in the applicant’s name after 1974. 5.     Sotiriou and Moushoutta, application no. 10200/04 27.     The applicants claimed to be the owners of immovable property in the districts of Kyrenia and Nicosia (the part under the control of the Turkish armed forces). The first applicant owned, wholly or in part, seven properties: six fields and one plot with a house and garden. The second applicant owned, wholly or in part, three properties: two fields with trees and a building site with trees. Some of these properties were acquired after 1974 by inheritance. 6.     Stylas, application no. 14163/04 28.     The applicant claimed to be the owner or part-owner of the following immovable property in the district of Nicosia (the part under the control of the Turkish armed forces): five plots with a house and garden, ten plots consisting of a field and a plot of a field containing olive trees (details contained in the file). Some of the properties were owned by the applicant before 1974; other properties were inherited since. 7.     Charalambou Onoufriou and Others, application no. 19993/04 29.     The applicants were a family. The first and fourth applicants were husband and wife and the second and third applicants their sons. They were all from Morphou. 30.     The first, second and third applicants claimed to own, or partly own, the following immovable property in Morphou, in the district of Nicosia: the first applicant owned four properties, a house with a barn, byre and garden which was the home of the applicants, a plot with orange trees and two fields; the second applicant owned four plots (two orange groves and two fields) acquired by gift from his father in 1996; the third applicant owned five plots (three fields and two gardens) acquired by way of gift from his parents in 1996. The deceased fourth applicant owned a third share in an orange plantation and two rooms, acquired on 18 September 1997 by way of gift from his father. In 2006, the first applicant transferred her properties to the second and third applicants. 8.     Chrisostomou, application no. 21819/04 31.     Before 20 July 1974 the applicant used to live in the town of Famagusta. She claimed to be the owner, in whole or in part, of eight plots of immovable property in Famagusta and Derynia, including buildings, two apartments (one of which was her home), a shop and fields. Some properties were transferred into her name after 1974. Most of the properties were in a closed area under the direct military control of Turkey. 9.     The Government’s position 32.     The Government submitted that the applicants had not established the basic facts. They had not produced evidence to show that, according to the Land Registry authorities in the south, they were the current owners of the properties in question. Nor had they shown that they had proof of title in 1974. None of the applicants had made an application to the Immovable Property Commission for restitution or compensation in respect of their property claims. C.     Relevant domestic law and practice 1.     Constitution of the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” (the “TRNC”) of 7 May 1985 33.     Article 159 § 1 (b) and (c), in so far as relevant, provide as follows: “(b)     All immovable properties, buildings and installations which were found abandoned on 13 February 1975 when the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus was proclaimed or which were considered by law as abandoned or ownerless after the above-mentioned date, or which should have been in the possession or control of the public even though their ownership had not yet been determined ... and (c) ... shall be the property of the TRNC notwithstanding the fact that they are not so registered in the books of the Land Registry Office; and the Land Registry Office shall be amended accordingly.” 34.     Article 159 § 4 reads as follows: “In the event of any person coming forward and claiming legitimate rights in connection with the immovable properties included in sub-paragraphs (b) and (c) of § 1 above [concerning, inter alia , all immovable properties, buildings and installations which were found abandoned on 13 February 1975], the necessary procedure and conditions to be complied with by such persons for proving their rights and the basis on which compensation shall be paid to them, shall be regulated by law.” 2.     Law for the compensation, exchange and restitution of immovable properties which are within the scope of sub-paragraph (b) of paragraph 1 of Article 159 of the Constitution, as amended by Laws   nos.   59/2006 and 85/2007 (hereinafter “Law no. 67/2005”) 35.     Law no. 67/2005 came into effect on 22 December 2005. This Law provided that all natural and legal persons claiming rights to immovable or movable property might bring a claim before the Immovable Property Commission (“the IPC”) until 21 December 2009, subject to a fee of 100   Turkish liras (TRY) for each application (section 4). On 22 October 2009 this deadline was extended by the Parliament of the “TRNC” until 21   December 2011. Under the provisions of the Law, the burden of proof rests upon the applicant who must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that, inter alia , the immovable property was registered in his name on 20 July 1974 (or that he is the legal heir to such a person), that he owned the movable property before 13 February 1975 and was forced to abandon it due to conditions beyond his own volition, and that according to the Land Registry records there are no other persons claiming rights to the claimed immovable property (section 6). 36.     The IPC has the duties and powers to: examine and reach decisions on applications; determine the amount and method of payment of compensation; collect written or oral testimony or hear witnesses; summon any person residing in the “TRNC” to give testimony or produce any document in his possession; compel a person to give evidence or produce a document in his possession; and award expenses to any persons summoned (section 13). The decisions of the IPC have binding effect and are of an executory nature similar to judgments of the judiciary and such decisions shall be implemented without delay upon service on the authorities concerned (section 14). It is an offence to refuse to produce any document or information required by the IPC or to fail to appear, or give evidence without legal excuse, a fine of TRY 2,000 being imposable on conviction (section 15). The Ministry responsible for financial affairs must make provision under a separate item of the budget law for each year for the payment of compensation awarded by the IPC and other expenses incurred by the application of the Law (section 18). 37.     The provisions concerning the redress available are set out below in full: “Hearing and reaching a decision 8.     The Commission, after having heard the arguments of the parties and witnesses, and having examined the documents submitted, shall, within the scope of the purposes of this Law, taking into consideration the below-mentioned matters, decide as to restitution of the immovable property to the person whose right in respect to the property has been established, or to offer exchange of the property to the said person, or decide as to payment of compensation. In cases where the applicant claims compensation for loss of use and/or non-pecuniary damages in addition to restitution, exchange or compensation in return for immovable property, the Commission shall also decide on these issues. (1)     Immovable properties that are subject to a claim for restitution by the applicant, ownership or use of which has not been transferred to any natural or legal person other than the State, may be restituted by the decision of the Commission within a reasonable time period, provided that the restitution of such property, having regard to the location, and the physical condition of the property, shall not endanger national security and public order and that such property is not allocated for public-interest reasons and that the immovable property is outside the military areas or military installations. (2)     If the restitution of an immovable property, other than property described in paragraph (1) above, is claimed by the applicant, the following rules shall apply, provided that the said immovable property has not been allocated for public interest or social justice purposes. (A)     If the increase in the value of the immovable property due to improvement made on such property between the date it was abandoned and the date of application with the Commission for restitution, is less than the value of the property when it was abandoned; or if there is no increase in the value of property between these dates; or if no project was approved by competent authorities that would cause such an increase; or if this immovable property is not property of equal value in accordance with the legislation in force, which has been acquired by any person in exchange of property left in southern Cyprus, such person having had to leave the south of Cyprus and to move to the north, the decision for restitution of such property may take effect after the settlement of the Cyprus problem, in line with the provisions of the settlement. In such a case, the person who is in possession or holds the ownership of the property in question under the legislation in force but would have to abandon the property after a settlement, shall not have to do so unless such person has been provided with compensation or alternative accommodation under the provisions of the settlement. As from the date of the announced decision of the Commission no construction shall be permitted on the immovable property that would be restituted after the settlement of the Cyprus problem within the framework of the provisions of the settlement or in any event within a three-year period; such immovable property cannot be improved, purchased or sold. However, the Ministry may permit the improvement of such property in a way that is also beneficial for the applicant. The principles governing the issue of permits under this sub-paragraph shall be regulated by rules. Natural or legal persons who, under the legislation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, are in possession or hold the ownership of property to be reinstated after a settlement, shall have the right to be compensated for the damage caused by such a decision of the Commission or to apply to the authorities, in order to have the property they own or possess purchased by the authorities. If this right is not exercised, the immovable property to be reinstated after a settlement, shall, prior to restitution, be expropriated in accordance with the legislation in force. (B)     If the increase in the value of the immovable property as a result of the improvement made to such property between the date it was abandoned and the date of the application to the Commission for its restitution is more than the value of the property at the time it was abandoned; or if a project that would cause such an increase in the value of the property has been approved by the competent authorities, the claim of the applicant for restitution shall be subject to the provisions of paragraph   (3) below. (3)     If the applicant claims restitution of immovable property and such an immovable property is not immovable property within the provisions of paragraph (1) and sub-paragraph (A) of paragraph (2) of this section, a proposal for exchange may be made, or compensation may be awarded to such person. The compensation shall be determined on the basis of the market value of the immovable property on 20 July 1974, and, if claimed, on the basis of damages for loss of use and non-pecuniary damages due to the loss of the right to respect for home. (4)     If the applicant applies to the Commission with a claim for compensation in return for immovable property and the Commission decides in favour of the applicant; or if the Commission decides to award an applicant compensation in return for the immovable property, the compensation to be paid shall be determined on the basis of the following criteria: (A)     If the immovable property is a building its market value on 20 July 1974, taking into consideration the date of its construction. (B)     Loss of income and increase in value of the immovable property between 1974 and the date of payment. (C)     Whether the applicant is in possession of any immovable property in the south of Cyprus owned by citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. (D)     Whether the applicant is receiving income from such property; if so, the amount of such income; whether such person is paying rent in respect of immovable property in his possession in the south which is owned by any citizen of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus; if so, the amount and the identity of the beneficiary of rent. (E)     The non-pecuniary damages which the Commission shall decide in favour of the applicant shall be assessed having regard to the manner of the use of the property, as well as the establishment of individual, family and moral links to such immovable [property] of the applicant on the date the property had to be abandoned. (F)     Where compensation is decided to be awarded for movable property, the amount shall be the market value of such property at the time the Commission reaches its decision. (5)     In cases where the applicant claims exchange or where the Commission decides to propose exchange to the applicant, the current market value of the immovable property to be proposed for exchange shall be approximately equal to the current market value of the immovable property on which the applicant has a right. If the property which is proposed to the applicant in exchange is of a value higher than the value of the property on which he claims a right, he shall pay the Commission the difference between the two values. If the property which is proposed to the applicant is of a value lower than the value of the property on which a right is claimed, the difference between the two prices shall be paid by the Commission to the applicant. If exchange is decided upon, precedence shall be given to the evaluation of the immovable property forming the subject matter of the applicant’s application, which the owner or user thereof had to leave in the south. The rights of the person applying to the Commission for exchange of property shall be reserved in respect of claims for compensation for loss of use and non-pecuniary damage due to loss of the right to respect for home. (6)     Upon the request of the applicant, the Commission may award restitution, exchange, compensation in return for rights over the immovable property and compensation for loss of use if claimed. Right to apply to court 9.     Parties have the right to apply to the High Administrative Court against the decisions of the Commission. If the applicant is not satisfied with the judgment of the High Administrative Court, he may apply to the European Court of Human Rights. Loss of ownership upon exchange of property or award of compensation 10.(1)     Applicants who receive compensation in return for their rights over immovable properties in virtue of the application of the provisions this Law can, under no condition, make a claim of right of ownership over immovable property for which they have received compensation. (2)     Applicants who receive new immovable property by way of exchange in virtue of the application of the provisions of this Law can, under no condition, make a claim to a right of ownership over the immovable property on which their application was based. Composition of Immovable Property Commission 11.(1)     For the implementation of this Law, an Immovable Property Commission composed of a president, a vice-president, and minimum five, maximum seven members, whose qualifications are specified below, shall be established. At least two members of the Commission to be appointed shall not be nationals of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, [the] United Kingdom, Greece, [the] Greek Cypriot Administration or [the] Republic of Turkey. The decisions regarding the appointment of the members shall be published in the Official Gazette. (A)     The President, Vice-President and the Members of the Commission shall be appointed by the Supreme Council of Judicature from among persons nominated by the President of the Republic. The President of the Republic shall nominate a number of candidates twice the number of members to be appointed. (B)     The President, Vice-President and Members of the Commission may be appointed from among lawyers or from among persons with experience in public administration and evaluation of property. Any persons directly or indirectly deriving any benefit from immovable properties on which rights are claimed by those who had to move from the north of Cyprus in 1974, abandoning their properties, cannot be appointed as members of the Commission. (C)(a)     The salary of the President of the Commission is equivalent to the salary received by a Supreme Court judge at initial appointment. ... (c)     Upon approval by the Council of Ministers, foreign members of the Commission may also receive an appropriation payment of a certain amount. (2)     The Commission shall convene by minimum two-third majority of the total number of members and shall take decisions by simple majority of the members attending the meeting, including the President. (3)     The term of office of a member not participating in the Commission meetings without a valid reason (illness, official duty abroad, and the like) for three times, may be terminated by the Supreme Council of Judicature upon the request of the President of the Commission. The term of office of the President of the Commission not participating in the Commission meetings without a valid reason (illness, official duty abroad, and the like) for three times may be terminated by the Supreme Council of Judicature upon the request of the President of the Republic. In other cases, the conditions for the termination of the term of office of a member of the Commission shall be the same as those applied to a Supreme Court judge. (4)     A secretariat shall be established in order to carry out the clerical and administrative work of the Commission. A sufficient number of personnel shall be employed in the secretariat upon the proposal of the President of the Commission and in accordance with the authorisation of the Council of Ministers. Employment of personnel under this section may be on a contractual basis. The number of personnel employed in this manner shall be no more than ten. However, if the President of the Commission reaches a conclusion that the secretariat is not able to carry out its legal obligations within a reasonable period of time, he has the authority to employ an additional number of personnel on contract, subject to the authorisation of the Council of Ministers. (5)     All employees of the Commission, including the President, Vice-President and Members, shall be employed as long as their services are required and subject to conditions determined by the Council of Ministers, notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in any other law relating to employment of service, duration of service, age limit, duration of contract, renewal of contract and conditions of retirement. (6)     The President, Vice-President and Members of the Commission shall not hold any other office during their term of office. (7)     Decisions taken shall be served on those concerned with the signature of the President and at least one Member. Duration of term of office of the President, Vice-President and Members of the Commission 12.     The President, Vice-President and Members of the Commission established in accordance with the provisions of this Law shall be appointed for a period of five years. At the end of this period the President, Vice-President and Members may be reappointed in the same manner. The President, Vice-President and Members of the Commission shall carry out their duties objectively and independently during their term of office which may only be terminated before the end of term subject to the provisions of section 11 above. No person or authority can give any order or instruction to the President, Vice-President and Members of the Commission.” 3.     Judgment of the “TRNC” Constitutional Court in case no. 3/2006 38.     In this case, the plaintiffs had filed applications claiming that Law no.   67/2005 was unconstitutional as contrary to Article 159 of the “TRNC” Constitution and should be annulled. 39.     The “TRNC” Constitutional Court rejected these applications. It had regard to international conventions and treaties concerning human rights and the elimination of discrimination as well as texts and agreements under international law concerning property in occupied areas and decisions and judgments of this Court, in particular what was said about the scope of any effective remedy for property complaints in the decision on admissibility in Xenides-Arestis v. Turkey ((dec.), no. 46347/99, 14 March 2005). It considered that it should interpret the Constitution in a manner such as to reconcile it with international law and held that it was not contrary to the Constitution for restitution of possession to be made and compensation to be paid to Greek Cypriot rights owners. 4.     Cases before the IPC 40.     As of the date of the hearing in November 2009, the number of cases brought before the IPC stood at 433. Of these, 85 had been concluded, the vast majority by means of friendly settlement. Only a handful of decisions not based on a settlement had been issued. In 4 cases, the IPC had ordered restitution and compensation; in 2 cases, exchange of property was agreed; and in 1 case the applicant agreed to restitution on resolution of the Cyprus problem. In more than 70 cases, compensation had been awarded. Some 361,493 square metres of property had been restituted and approximately 47   million euros paid in compensation. COMPLAINTS 41.     The applicants complained under Article 8 of the Convention and Article   1 of Protocol No. 1 that they had been deprived of the use of their property and/or access to their homes in northern Cyprus which was under the control of the “TRNC”. 42.     All applicants, save for the applicant in Chrisostomou (application no.   21819/04), complained under Article 14 of the Convention. 43.     The applicants in Sotiriou and Moushoutta (no. 10200/04) and Stylas (application no. 14163/04) also complained under Article 13 of a lack of an effective remedy in respect of their Convention rights under Article 8 of the Convention and Article 1 of Protocol No. 1. 44.     The applicant in Stylas (application no. 14163/04) complained of a continuing violation of Article 18 of the Convention in view of the violations of his rights under the above-mentioned provisions. THE LAW 45.     The applicants argued principally that they had been prevented from enjoying their property and homes following the invasion of northern Cyprus by Turkey in 1974, and that they had been victims of discrimination, invoking the following provisions of the Convention. 46.     Article 8 of the Convention provides in its relevant parts as follows: “1.     Everyone has the right to respect for ... his home ... 2.     There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right