The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has vindicated nine Greek Cypriots, who appealed to the Court in nine cases against Turkey.
The Court ruled that Turkey, whose troops occupy part of Cyprus' territory since 1974, has prohibited the access to the properties of the nine applicants, which are situated in the Turkish occupied areas.
The ECHR condemned Turkey for violating the applicants' right to protect their properties as well as their right for respect of private and family life.

The nine cases (Sophia Andreou v Turkey, Economou v Turkey, Gavriel v Turkey, Orphanides v Turkey, Evagorou Christou v Turkey, Ioannou v Turkey, Kyriakou v Turkey, Nicolaides v Turkey and Michael v Turkey) were examined in January 2009 by the Court as to whether the applicants had the right to access their properties in the occupied areas.

The Court had then ruled that Turkey had violated in all nine cases Article 1 of the Protocol 1 of the European Convention of Human Rights regarding the protection of property, while in seven of those cases (excluding Economou v Turkey and Nicolaides v Turkey) the Court ruled that Turkey had violated Article 8 of the Convention regarding the respect of private and family life.

The final judgment of the Court was made public Tuesday and it includes just satisfaction on behalf of Turkey to the applicants. Turkey is to pay the applicants pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage (10,000 to 400,000 euro). Turkey is also to pay additional costs and expenses.
The Court's decision paves the way for just satisfaction of other Greek Cypriot applicants whose access to their properties in the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus is denied.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and since then occupies one third of Cyprus' territory.

Source: ANA-MPA