OKSAL and OTHERS v. TURKEY

Secțiunea III DECIZIE FINAL [1] Cererea nr. 42822/98 de către Ali OKSAL și alții împotriva Turciei Curții Europene a Drepturilor Omului (A treia secțiune), care așeză la 23 octombrie 2003 ca cameră compusă din: Ress Cabral Barreto Caflisch Türmen Zupančič dna H.S. Greve Traja, judecători și grefierul secțiunii Berger având în vedere cererea depusă la Comisia Europeană a Drepturilor Omului la 24 iulie 1998, având în vedere art. 5 § 2 din Protocolul nr. 11 la Convenție, prin care competența de a examina cererea a fost transferată Curții, având în vedere decizia parțială din 23 noiembrie 1999, Având în vedere declarațiile oficiale care acceptă o soluționare prietenoasă a cazului prezentat de reclamanții la 9 septembrie 2002 și, respectiv, 15 iulie 2003, după ce au deliberat, decide după cum urmează: Reclamanții, al căror nume sunt enumerate în apendice, sunt resortisanți turci.

Prin scrisoarea din 27 august 2001 reprezentanții reclamanților au informat Curții că reclamantul Hasan Kürkcü a murit la 3 iunie 1996 și că moștenitorul său Ayșe Kürkcü a dorit să-și continue cererea. Reclamanții sunt reprezentați în fața Curții de către dl A. Akhallıoğlu și dl Aktay, avocați care practică în Ankara. Faptele cazului, astfel cum au fost prezentate de părți, pot fi rezumate după cum urmează. Hotărârea Generală a Drumurilor Naționale și Autostrăzilor a expropriat parcele de teren aparținând reclamanților din İçel pentru a construi Tarsus-İçel-Çukurova-İskenderun Autostrada. Un comitet de experți a evaluat valoarea parcelelor de teren aparținând reclamanților și aceste sume au fost plătite la momentul în care a avut loc expropiarea.

În urma cererilor de compensare sporită ale reclamanților, instanța națională le-a acordat o compensare suplimentară plus un dobânzi la rata legală de 30 % pe an. Reclamanții au apelat și Curtea de Casație au susținut decizia instanței de primă instanță. La începutul anului 1998, sumele corespunzătoare au fost plătite reclamanților respectiv. Detalii sunt indicate în tabelul de mai jos: NUMELE DE APLICAȚII DATEA TRANSFERIRII TITLULUI DECIZIE FINALĂ DE CURTEA DE CASSARE (DATEA DE PĂRȚIE ADIȚIONALĂ A COMPENSAȚIEI ADDIȚIONALE) (dobânzile și costurile juridice nu sunt incluse) (în lira turcisă) DATEA DE PAIEMENT

THIRD SECTION

FINAL DECISION

[1] Application no. 42822/98 by Ali OKSAL 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 24 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, whose names are listed in the appendix, are Turkish nationals.

By a letter dated 27 August 2001 the applicants' representatives informed the Court that the applicant Hasan Kürkcü had died on 3 June 1996 and that his heir Ayșe Kürkcü wished to pursue his application. The applicants are represented before the Court by Mr A. Akıllıoğlu and Mr A. Aktay, lawyers 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 assessed the value of the plots of land belonging to the applicants and these amounts were paid to them when the expropriation took place.

Following the applicants' requests 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:

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. Ali OKSAL Mehmet OKSAL Bülent OKSAL Emine OKSAL Tülin OKSAL (ATAR) 24.01.1992 25.05.1993 131.563.000 06.02.1998 2. Yusuf KÜRKCÜ 30.05.1994 29.05.1995 266.000.000 10.02.1998 3. Mustafa BİRTEKİN Döne AKGÜL Hasan BAȘ Fadıma SALDÜZ Mevlüt BİRTEKİN 13.09.1995 27.01.1997 11.098.864.000 06.02.1998

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

4. Mehmet KAPLAN Abdil KAPLAN Mahmut KAPLAN Süleyman KAPLAN Mustafa KAPLAN 15.10.1992 31.03.1994 506.575.000 06.02.1998 5. Ayse KÜRKCÜ 06.06.1994 10.07.1995 266.000.000 05.02.1998 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 applicants' 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 81,750 (eighty-one thousand seven hundred and fifty) euros to Mr Ali Oksal, Mr Mehmet Oksal, Mr Bülent Oksal, Ms Emine Oksal, Ms Tülin Oksal (Atar), Mr Yusuf Kürkcü, Mr Mustafa Birtekin, Ms Döne Akgül, Mr Hasan Baș, Ms Fadıma Saldüz, Mr Mevlüt Birtekin, Mr Mehmet Kaplan, Mr Abdil Kaplan, Mr Mahmut Kaplan, Mr Süleyman Kaplan, Mr Mustafa Kaplan and the heir of Mr Hasan Kürkcü (Ms Ayșe Kürkcü) [2] with a view to securing a friendly settlement of the application registered under no. 42822/98.

This sum shall cover any pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage as well as costs and will be divided up as follows: Mr Ali Oksal, Mr Mehmet Oksal, Mr Bülent Oksal, Ms Emine Oksal, Ms Tülin Oksal (Atar) 13,500 EUR Mr Yusuf Kürkcü 4,750 EUR Mr Mustafa Birtekin, Ms Döne Akgül, Mr Hasan Baș, Ms Fadıma Saldüz, Mr Mevlüt Birtekin 36,000 EUR Mr Mehmet Kaplan, Mr Abdil Kaplan, Mr Mahmut Kaplan, Mr Süleyman Kaplan, Mr Mustafa Kaplan 23,500 EUR The heir of Mr Hasan Kürkcü (Ms Ayșe Kürkcü) 4,000 EUR Furthermore, 40,875 (forty thousand eight hundred and seventy-five) 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 pursuant to the Article 37 § a) and c) of the European Convention on Human Rights.

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 40,875 (forty thousand eight hundred and seventy-five) euros within six months following the decision by the Court pursuant to Article 37 § a) and c) of the European Convention on Human Rights. 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.

Ankara, 20 June 2003” The Court received the following declaration from one of the representatives of the applicants: “I note that the Government of Turkey are prepared to pay the sum of 81,750 (eighty-one thousand seven hundred and fifty) euros covering pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage and costs to Mr Ali Oksal, Mr Mehmet Oksal, Mr Bülent Oksal, Ms Emine Oksal, Ms Tülin Oksal (Atar), Mr Yusuf Kürkcü, Mr Mustafa Birtekin, Ms Döne Akgül, Mr Hasan Baș, Ms Fadıma Saldüz, Mr Mevlüt Birtekin, Mr Mehmet Kaplan, Mr Abdil Kaplan, Mr Mahmut Kaplan, Mr Süleyman Kaplan, Mr Mustafa Kaplan and the heir of Mr Hasan Kürkçü (Ms Ayșe Kürkcü) with a view to securing a friendly settlement of application no. 42822/98 pending before the Court.

This sum will be divided up as follows: Mr Ali Oksal, Mr Mehmet Oksal, Mr Bülent Oksal, Ms Emine Oksal, Ms Tülin Oksal (Atar) 13,500 EUR Mr Yusuf Kürkcü 4,750 EUR Mr Mustafa Birtekin, Ms Döne Akgül, Mr Hasan Baș, Ms Fadıma Saldüz, Mr Mevlüt Birtekin 36,000 EUR Mr Mehmet Kaplan, Mr Abdil Kaplan, Mr Mahmut Kaplan, Mr Süleyman Kaplan, Mr Mustafa Kaplan 23,500 EUR Mr Hasan Kürkcü (Ms Ayșe Kürkcü) 4,000 EUR I also note that 40,875 (forty thousand eight hundred and seventy-five) 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 pursuant to the Article 37 § a) and c) of the European Convention on Human Rights and the remaining 40,875 (forty thousand eight hundred and seventy-five) 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. Mersin, 9 September 2002” After informing the Government, the Court took into consideration the applicant's representative's request of 9 September 2002 to make corrections to some of the applicants' names as well as adding the names of the heirs of the deceased applicants 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 application from other applications; Decides to strike the application out of its list of cases. Vincent Berger Georg Ress Registrar President List of Applicants Ali Oksal Mehmet Oksal Bülent Oksal Emine Oksal Tülin Oksal (Atar) Yusuf Kürkcü Mustafa Birtekin Döne Akgül Hasan Baș Fadima Saldüz Mehmet Birtekin Mehmet Kaplan Abdil Kaplan Mahmut Kaplan Süleyman Kaplan Mustafa Kaplan The heir of Hasan Kürkçü (Ayșe Kürkcü) [1] The decision has been rectified under Rule 81 of the Rules of Court on 11 March 2004. [2] Taking into consideration the letter sent by the applicant’s representative on 9 September 2002, the name of two of the applicants, namely Tülin Oksal (Atar) and Yusuf Kürkcü, have been corrected.

Furthermore, the name of the heir of the deceased applicant, Hasan Kürkcü, has been added.