To date, many complaints have been filed by Greek Cypriot citizens against Turkey in the ECtHR for loss of properties in the northern part of Cyprus after Turkey's 1974 intervention. However, this is the first time that the European court has assessed a complaint from Turkish Cypriots against the Greek Cypriot government for the loss of properties in the southern part of Cyprus.
Ten complaints filed in the court by 27 Turkish Cypriots between 2004 and 2008 have been relayed by the ECtHR to the Greek Cypriot government for “observations.”
“The applicants complain under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 about the restrictions on their use of their property within the Republic of Cyprus. … The applicants also complain of interference with their right to respect for their homes under Article 8. … They further invoke Articles 6 and 14 of the Convention in this regard. … The applicants also invoke Article 13 of the Convention in this regard,” the court documents state.
One of the applicants, meanwhile, bases his claim on Article 3 of Protocol No. 4 and argues that insofar as a particular Greek Cypriot law prevents him from living on his property and thus within the territory controlled by the Greek Cypriot government, he has effectively been expelled from his own country.
