THIRD SECTION

FINAL DECISION

Application no. 43342/98 by Recep UYANIK and Others against Turkey

The European Court of Human Rights (Third Section), sitting on 23 October 2003 as a Chamber composed of:

Mr G. Ress , President , Mr I. Cabral Barreto , Mr L. Caflisch , Mr R. Türmen , Mr B. Zupančič , Mrs H.S. Greve , Mr K. Traja, judges , and Mr V. Berger , Section Registrar ,

Having regard to the above application lodged with the European Commission of Human Rights on 14 July 1998,

Having regard to Article 5 § 2 of Protocol No. 11 to the Convention, by which the competence to examine the application was transferred to the Court,

Having regard to the partial decision of 23 November 1999,

Having regard to the formal declarations accepting a friendly settlement of the case submitted by the applicants and the Government on 9 September 2002 and 15 July 2003 respectively,

Having deliberated, decides as follows:

THE FACTS

The applicants, Recep Uyanık, Armağan Demirkol, Hatice Şeker, Huri Çelen, Semiha Oktar, Elif Koca, Musa Çelen, Hasan Mutlu, Ahmet Mutlu, Yusuf Sarı, Ömer Öksüz, Dursun Yılmaz, Nizamettin Solaklı, Sami Şeker, Hasan Arslan, Asiye Sevinç, Fatma Çolak, Mehmet Sevinç, Emine Yılmaz, Havva Sevinç (Dereli), Mustafa Sevinç, Behiye İzgi, Keriman Dağlı, Mehmet Yıldırım, Perihan Aksel, Ummuhanı Alkan, Muhibe Özer and Metin Yıldırım, are Turkish nationals. By a letter dated 27 August 2001 the applicants’ representatives informed the Court that the applicant Huri Çelen had died on 27 August 1995 and that her heirs Musa Çelen, Ayşe Çelen (Şeker), Mehmet Çelen, Osman Çelen, Fadıma Çelen (Elmas), Halil Çelen and Ayhan Çelen wish to pursue the application. By the same letter the applicants’ representatives informed the Court also that the applicant Elif Koca had died on and that her heirs Mevlüt Koca and Mehmet Koca wish to pursue the application. They were represented before the Court by Mr A. Akıllıoğlu and Mr A. Aktay, lawyer practising in Ankara.

The facts of the case, as submitted by the parties, may be summarised as follows.

The General Directorate of National Roads and Highways expropriated plots of land belonging to the applicants in İçel in order to build the Tarsus -İçel - Çukurova - İskenderun Motorway. A committee of experts + for increased compensation, the national courts awarded them additional compensation plus an interest at the statutory rate of 30 % per annum. The applicants appealed and the Court of Cassation upheld the decision of the first instance court. In the beginning of 1998 the due amounts were paid to the applicants respectively.

Details are indicated in the table below:

APPLICATION NUMBERS AND NAMES OF THE APPLICANTS

DATE OF TRANSFER OF TITLE DEED TO THE LAND

DATE OF FINAL DECISION BY COURT OF CASSATION AS REGARDS ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION

AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION

(interests and legal costs are not included)

(in turkish liras)

DATE OF PAYMENT

1. Recep UYANIK

10.03.1994

04.10.1994

       607.200.053

16.01.1998

2. ArmaÄŸan DEMÄ°RKOL

16.01.1994

15.05.1995

       500.000.000

20.01.1998

3. Hatice ŞEKER (ŞİMŞEK)

Musa ÇELEN, Ayşe ÇELEN, (Şeker)

Mehmet ÇELEN

Osman ÇELEN

Fadıma ÇELEN (Elmas)

Halil ÇELEN

Ayhan ÇELEN

Semiha OKTAR

Mevlüt KOCA Mehmet KOCA

Musa ÇELEN

20.07.1993

04.10.1994

    1.227.374.270

16.01.1998

4. Hasan MUTLU

Ahmet MUTLU

Yusuf SARI

Ömer ÖKSÜZ Dursun YILMAZ

Nizamettin SOLAKLI

Sami ÅžEKER

Hasan ARSLAN

Asiye SEVİNÇ

Fatma ÇOLAK

Mehmet SEVİNÇ

Emine YILMAZ

Havva SEVİNÇ

   (Dereli)

Mustafa SEVİNÇ

Behiye Ä°ZGÄ°

Keriman DAÄžLI

Mehmet YILDIRIM

Perihan AKSEL

Ummuhanı ALKAN

Muhibe ÖZER

Metin YILDIRIM

06.10.1995

27.01.1997

14.611.795.000

16.01.1998

COMPLAINTS

The applicants allege that the rate of interest applied in the calculation of the additional compensation for expropriation was too low. They also complain of the delays in obtaining their compensation. In this regard they invoke Article 1 of Protocol No 1 and Article 6 of the Convention.

THE LAW

Following informal contacts between the applicant’s and the Government’s representatives, the Section Registrar was asked to assist the parties in reaching a solution to the matter. As a result, the Registrar addressed draft declarations to the parties.

The Court received the following declaration from the Government:

“I declare that the Government of Turkey offer to pay 100,000 (one hundred thousand) euros to Mr Recep Uyanık, Mr Armağan Demirkol, Ms Hatice Şeker, the heirs of Ms Huri Çelen (Musa Çelen, Ayşe Çelen (Şeker), Mehmet Çelen, Osman Çelen, Fadıma Çelen (Elmas), Halil Çelen and Ayhan Çelen), Ms Semiha Oktar, the heirs of Ms Elif Koca (Mevlüt Koca and Mehmet Koca), Mr Musa Çelen, Mr Hasan Mutlu, Mr Ahmet Mutlu, Mr Yusuf Sarı, Mr Ömer Öksüz, Mr Dursun Yılmaz, Mr Nizamettin Solaklı, Mr Sami Şeker, Mr Hasan Arslan, Ms Asiye Sevinç, Ms Fatma Çolak, Mr Mehmet Sevinç, Ms Emine Yılmaz, Ms Havva Sevinç (Dereli), Mr Mustafa Sevinç, Ms Behiye İzgi, Ms Keriman Dağlı, Mr Mehmet Yıldırım, Ms Perihan Aksel, Ms Ummuhanı Alkan, Ms Muhibe Özer and Mr Metin Yıldırım [1] with a view to securing a friendly settlement of the application registered under no. 43342/98. This sum shall cover any pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage as well as costs and will be divided up as follows:

Mr Recep Uyanık 14,000 EUR

Mr Armağan Demirkol   9,000 EUR

Ms Hatice Åžeker, the heirs of Ms Huri Çelen (Musa Çelen, AyÅŸe Çelen (Åžeker), Mehmet Çelen, Osman Çelen, Fadıma Çelen (Elmas), Halil Çelen and Ayhan Çelen), Ms Semiha Oktar, the heirs of Ms Elif Koca (Mevlüt Koca and Mehmet Koca), Mr Musa Çelen                                                                               34,000 EUR

Mr Hasan Mutlu, Mr Ahmet Mutlu, Mr Yusuf Sarı, Mr Ömer Öksüz, Mr Dursun Yılmaz, Mr Nizamettin Solaklı, Mr Sami Åžeker, Mr Hasan Arslan, Ms Asiye Sevinç, Ms Fatma Çolak, Mr Mehmet Sevinç, Ms Emine Yılmaz, Ms Havva Sevinç (Dereli), Mr Mustafa Sevinç, Ms Behiye Ä°zgi, Ms Keriman DaÄŸlı, Mr Mehmet Yıldırım, Ms Perihan Aksel, Ms Ummuhanı Alkan, Ms Muhibe Özer, Mr Metin Yıldırım                                                                                                                      43,000 EUR

Furthermore, 50,000 (fifty thousand) euros of this sum, which corresponds to half of the whole sum agreed upon, will be payable within three months from the date of the decision by the Court. This sum shall be paid in euros to a bank account named by the applicants, free of any taxes and charges that may be applicable.

The Government further agree to pay the remaining 50,000 (fifty thousand) euros within six months following the decision by the Court ... This sum shall also be paid in euros to a bank account named by the applicants, free of any taxes and charges that may be applicable. This payment will constitute the final resolution of the case. ”

The Court received the following declaration from one fo the representatives of the applicants:

“I note that the Government of Turkey are prepared to pay the sum of 100,000 (one hundred thousand) euros covering pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage and costs to Mr Recep Uyanık, Mr Armağan Demirkol, Ms Hatice Şeker, the heirs of Ms Huri Çelen (Musa Çelen, Ayşe Çelen (Şeker), Mehmet Çelen, Osman Çelen, Fadıma Çelen (Elmas), Halil Çelen and Ayhan Çelen), Ms Semiha Oktar, the heirs of Ms Elif Koca (Mevlüt Koca and Mehmet Koca), Mr Musa Çelen, Mr Hasan Mutlu, Mr Ahmet Mutlu, Mr Yusuf Sarı, Mr Ömer Öksüz, Mr Dursun Yılmaz, Mr Nizamettin Solaklı, Mr Sami Şeker, Mr Hasan Arslan, Ms Asiye Sevinç, Ms Fatma Çolak, Mr Mehmet Sevinç, Ms Emine Yılmaz, Ms Havva Sevinç (Dereli), Mr Mustafa Sevinç, Ms Behiye İzgi, Ms Keriman Dağlı, Mr Mehmet Yıldırım, Ms Perihan Aksel, Ms Ummuhanı Alkan, Ms Muhibe Özer and Mr Metin Yıldırım with a view to securing a friendly settlement of application no. 43342/98 pending before the Court. This sum will be divided up as follows:

Mr Recep Uyanık 14,000 EUR

Mr Armağan Demirkol   9,000 EUR

Ms Hatice Åžeker, the heirs of Ms Huri Çelen (Musa Çelen, AyÅŸe Çelen (Åžeker), Mehmet Çelen, Osman Çelen, Fadıma Çelen (Elmas), Halil Çelen and Ayhan Çelen), Ms Semiha Oktar, the heirs of Ms Elif Koca (Mevlüt Koca and Mehmet Koca), Mr Musa Çelen                                                                  34,000 EUR

Mr Hasan Mutlu, Mr Ahmet Mutlu, Mr Yusuf Sarı, Mr Ömer Öksüz, Mr Dursun Yılmaz, Mr Nizamettin Solaklı, Mr Sami Åžeker, Mr Hasan Arslan, Ms Asiye Sevinç, Ms Fatma Çolak, Mr Mehmet Sevinç, Ms Emine Yılmaz, Ms Havva Sevinç (Dereli), Mr Mustafa Sevinç, Ms Behiye Ä°zgi, Ms Keriman DaÄŸlı, Mr Mehmet Yıldırım, Ms Perihan Aksel, Ms Ummuhanı Alkan, Ms Muhibe Özer, Mr Metin Yıldırım                                                                                                                      43,000 EUR

I also note that 50,000 (fifty thousand) euros of this sum, which corresponds to half of the whole sum agreed upon, will be payable within three months from the date of the decision by the Court and the remaining 50,000 (fifty thousand) euros will be payable within six months from the date of this decision.

I accept the proposal and waive any further claims against Turkey in respect of the facts of this application. I declare that this constitutes a final settlement of the case.

This declaration is made in the context of a friendly settlement which the Government and the applicants have reached.”

After informing the Government, the Court took into consideration the applicant’s representative’s request of 9 September 2002 to add the names of the heirs of the deceased applicants and to make corrections in some of the applicants’ names in the above declarations.

The Court takes note of the agreement reached between the parties. It is satisfied that the settlement is based on respect for human rights as defined in the Convention or its Protocols and considers that there is no reason which would justify the continuation of the examination of the application (Article 37 § 1 in fine of the Convention and Rule 62 § 3 of the Rules of the Court).

For these reasons, the Court unanimously

Decides to disjoin the applications;

Decides to strike the application out of its list of cases.

Vincent Berger Georg Ress Registrar President

[1] Taking into consideration the letter sent by the applicant’s representative on 9 September 2002, the names of the heirs of the deceased applicants, Ms Huri Çelen and Ms Elif Koca, have been added and the names of some of the applicants, namely Havva Sevinç (Dereli) and Ummuhanı Alkan, have been corrected.