3rd Report of the European Commission of Human Rights

Turkey's invasion in Cyprus and aftermath

(11 February 1983 to date)


Currently continuing violations of human rights in Cyprus

As Turkey seeks to perpetuate her occupation of northern Cyprus new violations as well as continuing breaches of rights manifest themselves:

Continuing Breaches

Displacement of persons

Unremitting refusal to allow 180,000 Greek Cypriot refugees to return to the occupied area and to allow any displaced Turkish Cypriots to return to the Government-controlled area.

Deprivation of homes and properties

In May 1985 the puppet regime in the Turkish occupied area purported to introduce a "Constitution", Article 159 of which expropriated all immovable property belonging to Greek Cypriots displaced by Turkey, much of this property being taken for the use of the Turkish Army. In September 1986, the Turkish settler and Cypriot coalition "Government", announcing their program, declared that in place of definitive possession certificates they would now start giving title deeds conferring full ownership on those who had earlier been allocated Greek Cypriot-owned land.

New Breaches

Public threats to settle Varosha (Famagusta)

Turkey's puppet regime has repeatedly threatened, with an increasing intensity in 1986, to settle the as yet unoccupied Varosha area of Famagusta with Turks, instead of returning it to its 35,000 lawful inhabitants, the Greek Cypriot refugees of Varosha. (Mr Ecevit declared that Varosha could never be returned, Ankara Radio, 7.25.1986).

Threats to occupy the free area

Threats that the Turkish army will occupy the southern part of Cyprus, which is under control of the Government of the Republic, are leaked by the Turkish Government and Army to Turkey's major newspapers.


Cyprus - Turkey - Inter-state application

Nicosia, Sep 8 1999 (CNA) -- A report by the European Commission of Human Rights has said that Turkey is responsible for gross violations of the human rights of missing persons and their relatives, of displaced persons and of enclaved Greek Cypriots living in the Turkish occupied part of Cyprus.

The report was issued at the end of Commission hearings during the fourth inter-state case of the Republic of Cyprus against Turkey and has been described by legal circles as the most important legal success of Cyprus in international fora.

It affirms that the government of Cyprus is the only recognised government on the island and reiterates that Turkey's responsibility extends to all the complaints filed by the Republic.

The case has been referred by the Cyprus government to the European Court of Human Rights where the two parties (Cyprus and Turkey) will present their arguments before the Court issues its judgement, which will be binding.


European Report finds Turkey guilty of gross violations of human rights in Cyprus

PIO: 9/9/99

A report by the European Commission of Human Rights of the Council of Europe, made public today, finds Turkey guilty of gross violations of human rights in Cyprus.

The Report, which deals with the fourth application introduced by the Cyprus Government against Turkey, was adopted on 4 June 1999 and relates to the consequences of the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus and Turkey's continuing violation of Articles of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, the Attorney-General of the Republic, Mr Alecos Markides, said the Report was of historic importance. Mr Markides said Cyprus' application concentrated on human rights issues including the fate of the missing persons, the property rights of displaced persons and the living conditions of the enclaved Greek Cypriots.

The Commission of Human Rights unanimously adopted and reaffirmed three earlier applications by Cyprus against Turkey and the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights on the case of Titina Loizidou, Mr Markides said. In the Loizidou case the Court had held that the denial to the applicant of access to her home in the occupied northern part of Cyprus and the loss of control of her property was imputable to Turkey.


European report slams Turkey for violation of human rights

By Jean Christou

Cyprus Mail: Thursday, September 9 1999

A REPORT by the European Commission for Human Rights, made public yesterday, slams Turkey for gross violation of human rights in Cyprus.

The contents of the report were made public at a press conference given by Attorney-general Alecos Markides, who hailed it as "the most important success the Republic of Cyprus has had in international legal fora".

"The Commission report is of a truly historic significance as it reaffirms previous reports in the first three inter-state cases against Turkey and the Court decision on the case of Titina Loizidou," Markides said.

Loizidou won a case before the European Court of Human Rights which found Turkey guilty of the continuous violation of her right to enjoy her property in Kyrenia and ruled that she remained the legal owner.

The report published yesterday was issued at the end of Commission hearings during the fourth inter-state case of Cyprus against Turkey.

It affirms that the government of Cyprus is the only recognised authority on the island and reiterates that Turkey's responsibility extends to all the complaints filed by the government.

The case has been referred by the government to the European Court of Human Rights, where the two parties, Cyprus and Turkey, will present heir arguments before the Court issues a judgement.

Markides said the case rested on five issues, the missing persons, the rights of property of displaced Greek Cypriots and their rights to hold free elections, the living conditions of the enclaved, and the rights of Turkish Cypriots violated by Turkey.

On the latter, the Commission report said the application by the government failed because the Commission considered all local avenues had not been exhausted.

It said the breakaway regime was a local administration subject to Turkey and that Turkish Cypriots should apply to Turkey before approaching the European judicial system.

"We do not consider anything carried out in the occupied areas as being in accordance with international law," Markides said.

On the issue of missing persons, Markides said the report found massive violations of human rights regarding the missing and their relatives by the failure of the Turkish side to cooperate with the investigation into their fate.

On the issue of property, similar violations were found, while regarding the enclaved, the report said their living conditions constituted a serious form of intervention in the right to respect for private and family life.

"The treatment of enclaved persons is tantamount to adverse discrimination on the basis of ethnic origin, race and religion," Markides quoted the report as saying.

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Issued by the Cyprus Bar Association P.1/1995-5000 P.O. Box 1446, Nicosia Cyprus ISBN 9963-38-112-X