The European Court of Human Rights ruled on Monday, May 12 2014, that Turkey is obliged to pay 90 ml euros to the Republic of Cyprus for the violation of human rights during and after the 1974 invasion of the island. The Court held that Turkey was to pay Cyprus 30 mln euros in respect of the non-pecuniary damage suffered by the relatives of the missing persons, and 60 mln euros in respect of the non-pecuniary damage suffered by the enclaved Greek-Cypriot residents of the Karpas peninsula.
According to an ECHR Press Release, issued Monday, the Grand Chamber judgment in the case of Cyprus v. Turkey is final and was taken by a majority. The Court also held by a majority that the passage of time since the delivery of the principal judgment, on 10 May 2001, did not preclude it from examining the Cypriot Government’s just satisfaction claims.
The application had been introduced before the former European Commission of Human Rights in 1994, and was referred to the ECHR by the Government of Cyprus on August 1999 and by the European Commission on September 1999.
The Cyprus Government Spokesman, Nikos Christodoulides said today that the Republic of Cyprus welcomed the decision of the ECHR on a request by the Government for just satisfaction on the basis of article 41 of the European Convention on Human Rights. He noted in particular the reference by the Court that Turkey has not fully complied with the Court’s 2001decision in the Fourth Interstate Application of the Republic of Cyprus against the Republic of Turkey and that compliance does not in any way mean permission, participation or complicity in any illegal sale or exploitation of Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied areas.
The Spokesman highlighted that the Government is particularly pleased with the reference by the Court that the decision of the ECHR in the case of Demopoulos and Others V. Turkey, does not exonerate Turkey from its obligations to comply with the Court’s decision in the Fourth Interstate.
The Cyprus Government, he said, also welcomes the order to Turkey to pay non-pecuniary damage suffered by the relatives of the missing persons, of 30,000,000 Euros as well as the compensation of 60,000,000 Euros for the non-pecuniary damage suffered by the enclaved Greek-Cypriot residents of the Karpasia peninsula. The Government welcomes the fact that the Court condemned in such clear manner, once again, the Turkish policy of human rights violations of the enclaved and the attempt to change the demographic character of the occupied areas, he said.
The Spokesman underlined that the Cyprus Government looks forward to the immediate compliance of Turkey with the judgment by taking the necessary measures to stop the illegal exploitation and sale of Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied areas and by paying the compensation requested by the Court.