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    European Court of Human Rights


    You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> European Court of Human Rights >> Despina CHARALAMBOUS and Others v Turkey - 46744/07 [2009] ECHR 908 (1 June 2010)
    URL: http://www.bailii.org/eu/cases/ECHR/2010/908.html

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    FOURTH SECTION

    PARTIAL DECISION

    AS TO THE ADMISSIBILITY OF

    Application no. 46744/07
    Despina CHARALAMBOUS and Others
    and 28 other cases against Turkey
    (see list appended)

    The European Court of Human Rights (Fourth Section), sitting on 1 June 2010 as a Chamber composed of:

    Nicolas Bratza, President,
    Lech Garlicki,
    Giovanni Bonello,
    Ljiljana Mijović,
    David Thór Björgvinsson,
    Ledi Bianku,
    Işıl Karakaş, judges,
    and Fatoş Aracı, Deputy Section Registrar,

    Having regard to the above applications lodged on the dates set out in the Annex;

    Having deliberated, decides as follows:

    THE FACTS

    The applicants are Cypriot nationals. Their names, dates of birth and places of residence are set out in the Annex.

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

    The applicants are relatives of 29 Greek-Cypriot men, both civilians and army personnel, who went missing in July-August 1974 following the invasion of northern Cyprus by Turkish armed forces. These men were listed as missing persons, the information being given to the Red Cross and the United Nations.

    The remains of the missing men have been found during exhumations carried out by the United Nations Committee for Missing Persons between 2005 9 (“CMP”). Further details are set out in the Annex.

    COMPLAINTS

    All applicants complain under Article 2 about the disappearance and death of their relatives and the lack of effective investigation into those matters, as well as invoking Articles 3 (as concerns the victim and/or themselves) and 5 in that regard.

    The applicants (save those in nos. 7048/08, 60676/08, 60678/08, 60688/08, 60719/08, 60734/08, 60742/08, 60771/08, 60696/08) complain under Article 8 of the effect on their family life of the disappearance.

    The applicants (save for those in nos. 60676/08, 60678/08, 60688/08, 60719/08, 60734/08, 60742/08, 60771/08, 60696/08) complain that the above matters disclose violations of Article 14.

    In addition, the applicants in 7086/08 invoke Article 4 in respect of their relatives' disappearance; the applicants in nos. 46744/07, 29673/08 and 45656/08 complain under Articles 6, 7, 9, 10 and 17 of the Convention; and the applicant in 5281/08 invokes Articles 6 and 12.

    The applicants in nos. 5210/08, 5277/08, 4852/05, 5247/08, 5270/08, 37368/08, 7086/08, 7512/08, 5281/08, 60676/08, 59490/09, 4584/10, 4649/10, 5189/10, 6081/10, 7839/10 complain under Article 13.

    The applicants in nos. 5210/08, 5277/08, 4852/05, 5247/08, 5270/08, and 37368/08 complain under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 that they were deprived of the financial support of their relative.

    THE LAW

  1. As a preliminary matter, the Court notes that in application nos. 7512/08, Panikos Danezis v. Turkey and 5281/08 Phanos Xenophontis v. Turkey, the missing person is named as an applicant. According to the Court's practice, applications can only be introduced by, or in the name of, individuals who are alive at the moment they are lodged (Varnava and Others v. Turkey [GC], nos. 16064/90, 16065/90, 16066/90, 16068/90, 16069/90, 16070/90, 16071/90, 16072/90 and 16073/90, §§ 111-113, ECHR 2009 ...). In the circumstances, the Court will continue to examine the applications on the basis that the relatives of the missing person are the applicants for the purposes of Article 34 of the Convention.

  2. The applicants complain that their relatives disappeared in life-threatening circumstances in 1974, invoking Article 2 of the Convention which guarantees that the right to respect for life shall be guaranteed by law. They also invoke variously in this regard Articles 3 (prohibition of torture and inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment), Article 4 (prohibition of forced labour), Article 5 (right to liberty and security of person), Article 6 (right to fair trial), Article 7 (prohibition of retrospective punishment), Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life), Article 9 (freedom of religion), Article 10 (freedom of expression), Article 13 (right to an effective remedy for violations of Convention rights), Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination in the enjoyment of Convention rights), Article 17 (prohibition of abuse of rights) as well as Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 (protection of enjoyment of possessions).
  3. The Court observes that Turkey recognised the right of individual petition on 28 January 1987. Insofar therefore as the applicants' complaints are based on the event of disappearance and alleged deprivation of liberty in 1974, the Court lacks temporal jurisdiction (see Blečić v. Croatia [GC], no. 59532/00, § 70, ECHR 2006 III; Varnava and Others, cited above. This part of the application must therefore be rejected as incompatible ratione temporis pursuant to Article 35 §§ 3 and 4 of the Convention.


  4. The applicants complain under Articles 2 and 5 of a lack of effective investigation into the disappearances of their relatives. They also invoke Article 3 in this respect.
  5. The Court recalls that, pursuant to Article 35 § 1 of the Convention, it may only deal with a matter “within a period of six months from the date on which the final decision was taken”.

    In Varnava and Others, cited above, the Court had occasion to consider the application of the six-month rule in cases concerning missing persons from the 1974 conflict. It noted as follows:

    In a complex disappearance situation such as the present, arising in a situation of international conflict, where it is alleged that there is a complete absence of any investigation or meaningful contact with the authorities, it may be expected that the relatives bring the case within, at most, several years of the incident. If there is an investigation of sorts, even if sporadic and plagued by problems, the relatives may reasonably wait some years longer until hope of progress being made has effectively evaporated. Where more than ten years has elapsed, the applicants would generally have to show convincingly that there was some ongoing, and concrete, advance being achieved to justify further delay in coming to Strasbourg.”

    It concluded (at § 170):

    The Court considers that the applicants, who were amongst a large group of persons affected by the disappearances, could, in the exceptional situation of international conflict where no normal investigative procedures were available, reasonably await the outcome of the initiatives taken by their Government and the United Nations. These procedures could have resulted in steps being taken to investigate known sites of mass graves and provided the basis for further measures. The Court is satisfied, however, that by the end of 1990 it must have become apparent that the problematic, non-binding, confidential nature of these processes no longer offered any realistic hope of progress in either finding bodies or accounting for the fate of their relatives in the near future.”

    The applicants in Varnava having applied to the Court in January 1990, they were found to have acted with reasonable expedition for the purposes of Article 35 § 1 and the Government's preliminary objection to the contrary was rejected.

    In the present cases, which also concerned disappearances during the conflict in 1974, the applicants applied to the Court between 21 November 2008 and 30 September 2009. In light of the Court's conclusion in Varnava, it should have been apparent by the end of 1990 that the CMP procedure had failed to make any concrete advance in uncovering the fate of the applicants' relatives (see Varnava and Others, cited above, §§ 165 to 166). Nor is there any evidence in the present applications of any other form of investigative activity post-1990 which could have provided to the applicants some indication, or realistic possibility, of progress in relation to their relatives' disappearances and which could have justified a further lapse of eighteen years or more in coming to Strasbourg.

    It follows that the applicants' complaints relating to the lack of effective investigation into the disappearances of their relatives in 1974 were introduced out of time and must be rejected in accordance with Article 35 §§ 1 and 4 of the Convention.


  6. Insofar as the applicants complain of the lack of any investigation by the authorities of Turkey following the discovery of the remains of their relatives in 2005-2009 and the treatment to which this subjects them, the Court finds that issues arise which it considers fall to be examined under Articles 2 and 3 of the Convention. However, it cannot, on the basis of the case file, determine the admissibility of this aspect of the applications and that it is therefore necessary, in accordance with Rule 54 § 2 (b) of the Rules of the Court, to give notice of this part of the applications to the respondent Government.
  7. For these reasons, the Court unanimously

    Decides to adjourn the examination of the applicants' complaints concerning the lack of investigation following the discovery of the remains of their relatives and the treatment which they suffer as a result;

    Declares the remainder of the application inadmissible.

    Fatoş Aracı Nicolas Bratza
    Deputy Registrar President

    A N N E X


    No.

    Appl. no.

    Lodged on

    Applicant name

    date of birth

    place of residence

    Represented by

    Name of victim

    Date and circumstances of desappearance

    Date and location of discovery of body and id documents

    Details of forensic report (date and cause of death/findings)


    A. Eptakomi village cases

    46744/07

    16/10/2007

    Despina Charalambous

    20/07/1935

    Limassol

    Charalambos Charalambous

    26/09/1956

    London

    Gregoris Demetriou

    28/12/1958

    Enfield

    Katerina Pounna

    19/03/1953

    Oal

    Christos M. Triantafyllides

    Demetrios Koutras Charalambous (civilian)

    Last seen on 20 August 1974 in Galatia (Mehmetçki) in the district of Karpasia by his two sons and his wife's nephew. They had all been arrested in their village of Eptakomi that had come under the control of the Turkish forces and taken to Galatia where they had been detained in the village association. He was seen taken away by Turkish soldiers.

    Remains found on 16 October 2006 in a grave near the village of Galatia (with 10 other remains); the applicants were notified in July 2007 that the remains had been found.

    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 17 July 2007 indicated two bullet wounds to the skull; wounds to the pelvis and wounds to the ribs on both sides.

    29673/08

    03/06/2008

    Ioannis Kashouris

    25/01/1944

    Nicosia

    Olympiada Neophytou Kashouri

    29/05/1949

    Nicosia

    Maria Kashouri

    01/12/1951

    Athens

    Christalleni Kashouri

    02/01/1955

    Nicosia

    Sotiris Kashouris

    29/05/1949

    Nicosia

    Christos M. Triantafyllides

    Georgios Kashouris (civilian)

    Last seen on 20 August 1974 in his village Eptakomi. The village had come under the control of the Turkish forces on 15 August and the applicant had been detained with other men in a house in the village.

    Remains found on 19 September 2006 in a grave in the locality of Livadia (Sazliköy) (the grave contained the remains of 12 individuals); remains given to the family on 1 March 2008; formal letter of discovery and identification 28 March 2008.


    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 26 February 2008 indicated a bullet wound to the head.

    45656/08

    27/08/2008

    Katina Christophi

    11/06/1930

    Limassol

    Christos Christophi

    22/10/1955

    Larnaca

    Militsa Panayi

    18/01/1958

    Dromolaksia

    Maria Tsangaridou

    29/01/1960

    Limassol

    Spyros Christophi

    11/12/1972

    Limassol

    Androulla Kalli

    06/09/1965

    Limassol

    Christos M. Triantafyllides

    Leondios Christophi (civilian)

    Last seen in the morning of 21 August 1974 in his village Eptakomi which had come under the control of the Turkish forces. The applicant had been detained with other men in a house in the village and was taken away by Turkish soldiers or persons under their command that morning.

    Remains found on 19 September 2006 in a grave in the locality of Livadia (Sazliköy) (with 11 other remains);

    letter by CMP informing relatives of discovery and identification of remains dated 28 March 2008.



    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 20 March 2008 indicated a bullet wound to the head and bullet wound to the lower jaw.

    B.  Yiallousa village cases


    5210/08

    18/01/2008

    Lysimachi Elia

    18/05/1947

    Nicosia

    Elena Elia

    17/10/1974

    Nicosia

    Andreas Elia

    27/07/1968

    Nicosia

    Elias Elia

    22/09/1966

    Nicosia

    Andreas Angelides

    Odysseas Elia (civilian)

    Last seen on 19 August 1974 in the village of Yiallousa after being put on a bus with another 8 men from the village by Turkish soldiers (and/or their agents). Representatives of the International Red Cross visited Pavlides Garage in the Turkish-occupied sector of Nicosia and on 28 August 1974 recorded the names of 20 Greek Cypriots held there, including Mr Odysseas Elia (document EZY284D).

    Remains found on 16 October 2006 in a grave near the village of Galatia in the district of Karpasia (the grave contained the remains of 11 individuals); remains given to family on 24 July 2007; letter by CMP informing relatives of discovery and identification of remains dated 17 December 2007.

    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 20 July 2007 indicated head wounds, a wound to the spinal cord and to the right leg/foot (πόδι).

    5277/08

    10/01/2008

    Evagoras Hadjidemetri

    19/08/1970

    Nicosia

    Agni Hadjidemetri Iosif

    01/02/1972

    Nicosia

    Maria Glyki

    28/06/1950

    Nicosia

    Maria Evagorou

    15/06/1925

    Nicosia

    Andreas Angelides

    Pavlos Hadjidemetri (civilian)

    As above..

    As above.


    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 12 July 2007 indicated wound to the skull and a wound to the left tibia.

    4852/05

    07/10/2004

    Keti Cosma

    10/05/1942

    Nicosia

    Elena Cosma

    02/12/1966

    Limassol

    Christina Cosma

    06/03/1964

    Nicosia


    Andreas Angelides

    Christos Cosmas (civilian)

    As above.

    As above.

    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 20 July 2007 indicated a bullet wound to the head and a wound to the pelvis.

    7048/08

    19/01/2008

    Agni Hadjinicolaou

    22/03/1935

    Nicosia

    Christos Hadjinicolaou

    11/04/1939

    Cyprus

    Panos Hadjinicolaou

    15/10/1968

    Nicosia

    Spyros Hadjinicolaou

    10/09/1969

    Nicosia


    Achilleas Demetriades

    Christos Hadjinicolaou (civilian)

    As above

    As above.

    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 20 July 2007 indicated wounds to the head, a wound to the pelvis and a wound to the left hand.

    16622/08

    13/03/2008

    Maria Savvidou

    22/02/1949

    Larnaca

    Neophytos Savvides

    13/07/1969

    Lower Dudley

    Phanoula Savvides

    21/08/1970

    Larnaca

    Fokas Savvides

    16/10/1974

    Nicosia


    Christos M. Triantafyllides

    Stelios Savvides (civilian)

    As above.


    As above (save date of return of remains not specified).

    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 27 July 2007 indicated a bullet wound to the skull and a wound to the right arm.

    C.  Kazafani village cases

    5247/08

    18/01/2008

    Giannis Strongylos

    09/11/1949

    Limassol


    Elisavet Strongylou

    15/09/1954

    Nicosia

    Androulla Michael

    21/07/1952

    London

    Andreas Angelides

    Georghios Strongylos (reservist – 251 Infantry Battalion – Glykiotissa, Kyrenia)

    Last seen on 23 July 1974 in Kazafani village when his car came under attack. He was taken away by 9 Turkish soldiers with another 2 Greek-Cypriots whose cars had also been immobilised. The soldiers were accompanied by the Mustafa of Kazafani and head towards the village church.

    Remains found in the area of Trouliou on 29 June 2005; given to family on 22 July 2007; letter by CMP informing relatives of discovery and identification of remains dated 17 December 2007.


    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 20 July 2007 indicated a bullet wound to the head, bullet wound to the spinal cord and a pelvic wound.

    5270/08

    18/01/2008

    Eleni Kakouri

    28/10/1950

    Limassol

    Andreas Kakouri

    22/11/1971

    Limassol

    Photini Kakouri

    29/09/1973

    Limassol

    Andreas Angelides

    Iakovos Yiasoumi Kakouris (civilian)

    As above

    Remains found as above; given to family on 23 July 2007; letter by CMP informing relatives of discovery and identification of remains dated 17 December 2007.


    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 20 July 2007 indicated a bullet wound to the head, a wound to the spinal cord and wounds to the ribs.

    D.  Bellapais/Kyrenia cases

    7086/08

    29/01/2008

    Constantinos Theocharides

    09/11/1944

    Nicosia

    Evgenios Theocharides

    01/03/1947

    Nicosia

    Achilles Emilianides

    Evgenios Theocharides (reservist)

    Last seen on 22 July 1974 in areas surrounded or about to be taken over by the Turkish Forces in Kyrenia. He had left Bellapais by car to go to Kyrenia to meet his fiancée.



    Remains found in an olive grove at the southern outskirts of Kazafani (the grave contained the remains of 17 individuals). The burial site was excavated between 4-28 July 2005;

    identification report dated 29 November 2007 by the Cyprus institute of Neurology and Genetics; letter by CMP informing relatives of discovery and identification of remains dated 17 December 2007.

    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 7 August 2007 indicated a wound to the head and a bullet wound to the pelvis.

    7512/08

    27/01/2008

    Sotia Danezi

    10/02/1975

    Athens

    Aliki Knutsen

    20/05/1973

    Nicosia

    Loukia Danezi

    13/02/1953

    Nicosia

    Charalambos Danezis

    14/06/1953

    Iraklio

    Irene Danezi

    08/07/1962

    Nicosia

    Maroulla Danezi

    17/01/1927

    Nicosia

    Christos Clerides

    Panikos Danezis (reservist)

    Last seen on 22 July 1974 in the area of Bellapais, Kyrenia that came under the control of the Turkish Forces.


    As above.

    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 10 August 2007 indicated a bullet wound to the head.

    7439/08

    05/02/2008

    Varvara Stivarou

    24/10/1931

    Limassol


    Andreas Stivaros

    19/12/1953

    Limassol

    Demetrios Stivaros

    22/08/1922

    Limassol

    Constantia Stivarou

    25/02/1955

    Limassol

    Spyridon Stivaros

    11/12/1956

    Limassol

    Eftychia Stivarou

    07/08/1958

    Limassol

    Kallistheni Stivarou

    05/11/1962

    Limassol

    Pericles Stivaros

    21/07/1964

    Limassol


    Kallistheni Demetriou Stivarou

    Andreas D. Stivaros

    It appears that the applicant was last seen in the afternoon of 14 August 1974 in Akanthou village after the 361 Infantry Battalion (361 IB) in which he was serving withdrew from Pachyammos (Kyrenia).


    Remains found on 10 May 2006 in the area of Knodhara (Gönendere) (Famagusta district) (with the remains of another three individuals that had served in the same battalion); remains given to family on 8 September 2007; letter by CMP informing relatives of discovery and identification of remains dated 17 December 2007.


    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 7 September 2007 indicated two bullet wounds to the head and a bullet wound to the left pelvis.

    5281/08

    22/01/2008

    Phanos Xenophontos

    18/02/1975

    Nicosia


    Constantinos Tambourlas

    Georghios Poyiadjis Xenophontos

    (reservist)

    As above, save that the missing person was last seen on 16 August 1974.

    Remains found on 8 April 2008 the family were given: (i) the identification report by the Cyprus institute of Neurology and Genetics dated 29 November 2007; (ii) the summary report of Anthropological identification by the CMP Bi communal forensic team dated 12 March 2008 (iii) a letter by the CMP informing relatives of discovery and identification of remains dated 17 December 2007.

    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 24 August 2007 indicated a bullet wound to the head and a bullet wound to the left ulna and radius.



    E.  Elia village cases


    60676/08

    28/11/2008

    Maria Fivou Constantinou

    08/01/1948

    Limassol

    Neofytos Fivou

    18/04/1972

    Limassol

    Evgenia Fivou

    28/03/1974

    Limassol


    Loukis G. Loucaides

    Phivos (Constantinou) Kyprianou (civilian)

    Last seen in the afternoon of 21 July 1974 in Elia village in Kyrenia. In the afternoon (at about 4.00 p.m.) they were arrested by Turkish troops and led to a nearby olive-grove. At about 6.00 p.m. the Turkish soldiers started separating the men from the women and children and firing at the men.


    The families were notified that remains were found first orally on 4 June 2008; remains given June-August 2008.

    On dates between 6 -25 November 2008 the family were given (i) the identification report by the Cyprus institute of Neurology and Genetics dated 31 July 2008; (ii) a letter by the CMP informing relatives of discovery and identification of remains dated 10 October 2008.

    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 16 July 2008 indicated a wound to the head; a wound to the left ulna and radius.

    60678/08

    28/11/2008

    Eftichia Panagiotou

    03/10/1949

    Limassol

    Panagiota Yiatrou

    22/06/1944

    Limassol

    Loukis G. Loucaides

    Christoforos Yiatrou (civilian)

    As above.


    As above.


    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 30 July 2008 indicated a bullet wound to the right arm; a wound to the right scapula and the left iliac bone.

    60688/08

    28/11/2008

    Charita Mandoles

    31/01/1946

    Limassol

    Maria Fivou Constantinou

    08/01/1948

    Limassol

    Costas Neofytou

    19/02/1951

    Limassol

    Loukis G. Loucaides

    Neophytos Damaskinou (civilian)

    As above.


    As above.

    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 16 July 2008 does not provide any information concerning the cause of death.

    60719/08

    28/11/2008

    Athanasios Kozakou

    06/12/1928

    Limassol

    Maroulla Kozakou

    23/06/1935

    Limassol

    Christakis Kozakou

    14/08/1961

    Limassol

    Xenia Ioannou

    21/01/1964

    Limassol

    Lida Kozakou

    01/11/1968

    Limassol

    Loukis G. Loucaides

    Yiannakis Kozakos (civilian)

    As above.

    As above.

    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 7 July 2008 indicated wounds to the head, lower mandible, right radius and femoral bone.

    60734/08

    28/11/2008

    Charita Mandoles

    31/01/1946

    Limassol

    Irene Mandoles

    07/04/1972

    Limassol

    Yiannis Mandoles

    27/06/1973

    Limassol

    Loukis G. Loucaides

    Andreas Mandoles (civilian)


    As above.

    As above.

    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 16 July 2008 indicated a bullet wound to the left tibia.

    60742/08

    28/11/2008

    Maria Georgiou

    06/07/1963

    Nicosia

    Georgia Pasiardi

    30/07/1965

    Nicosia

    Evgenia Georgiou

    13/02/1938

    Nicosia

    Loukis G. Loucaides

    Costas Melissos (civilan)

    As above.

    As above.

    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 27 June 2008 indicated a bullet wound to the thoracic vertebra down to 2nd lumbar verterbra.

    60771/08

    05/12/2007

    Eleni Contemenioti

    15/09/1935

    Nicosia

    Marianna Contemenioti

    04/11/1972

    Nicosia


    Loukis G. Loucaides

    Christakis Contemeniotis (civilian)

    As above.

    In addition in this application it is stated that after the shooting the women and the children were taken away and were not allowed to go near the men.

    As above.

    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 10 September 2008 indicated a wound to the head; a wound to the right arm and to the 12th thoracic vertebra.

    60696/08

    05/12/2007

    Chrystalla Metaxaki

    17/07/1956

    Nicosia

    Giorgos Metaxakis

    05/03/1959

    Nicosia

    Eleni Metaxaki

    12/05/1957

    Nicosia


    Artemis Kyriacou

    11/09/1976

    Nicosia

    Angela Kyriacou

    05/11/1980

    Nicosia

    Kyriacou Spyros

    29/03/1982

    Nicosia

    Zacharoulla Kyriacou

    12/01/1956

    Nicosia

    Loukis G. Loucaides

    Spyros Kellouras (civilian)

    As above.

    As above.


    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 27 June 2008 indicated a wound to the right pelvis and to the right femoral bone probably caused by a bullet.







    F.  Chatos/Kiados cases


    4584/10

    23/12/2009

    Petros Scordis

    23/04/1944

    Dhali

    Alecos Scordis

    05/07/1947

    Dahli

    Paraskevi Scordis Hadjikyriacou

    05/07/1947

    Dhali

    Eleni Scordis Kallenou

    01/06/1960

    Dhali

    Achilleas Demetriades

    Christoforos Skordis (reservist)

    The victim was with the 398th infantry battalion stationed in Kythrea. Last seen on 14 August 1974 with 4 comrades in the custody of Turkish soldiers near the village of Chatos (Kiados). He was photographed while in detention by a journalist working for a Turkish newspaper who was covering the event and who was captured on that above date by the Cypriot national guard (five men from the same battalion appear in the photo).


    The remains were found in a well in Kiados (containing the remains of 19 individuals) and exhumed between 22 November and 3 December 2006.

    The family were given the remains in August-September 2009. On 15 December 2009 the families were given (i) the identification report by the Cyprus institute of Neurology and Genetics dated 6 August 2009; (ii) the summary report of Anthropological identification by the CMP Bi communal forensic team dated 12 October 2009 (iii) a letter by CMP informing relatives of discovery and identification of remains dated 24 September 2009.

    The medical certificate for the cause of death signed by a doctor and dated 24 August 2009 indicated a bullet wound / wounds to the head and a wound/ wounds to the right and left arms.

    5189/10

    22/01/2010

    Georgia Stefanie

    08/04/1925

    Neapolis


    Andreas Hadjikyriakou

    21/02/1953

    Neapolis

    Maria Hadjikyriakou

    25/03/1955

    Limasol

    Achilleas Demetriades

    Philippos Hadjikyriakou (reservist)


    As above.

    As above.

    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 1 September 2009 indicated wounds by two bullets to the head and wounds caused by a pointed cutting instrument to the 3rd and 4th cervical vertebrae.

    7839/10

    29/01/2010

    Evi Akhniotou

    11/01/1950

    Famagusta

    Achilleas Demetriades

    Philippos Hadjikyriakou (reservist)

    As above.


    As above.

    The medical certificate for the cause of death signed by a doctor and dated 1 September 2009 indicated a bullet wound to the head.

    6081/10

    14/01/2010

    Chrystalla Korelli

    31/07/1945

    Strovolos

    Androulla Korelli

    16/02/1972

    Strovolos

    Soteroulla Korelli

    25/01/1975

    Strovolos


    Achilleas Demetriades

    Antonakis Korellis (reservist)

    As above.

    According to a witness statement the victim was at Seray prison from 15 -20 August 1974 and was then transferred to Kyrenia and then to Adana prison in Turkey – last seen in the prison yard on 22 August 1974.

    As above.


    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 27 August 2009 indicated a bullet wound to the head.

    4649/10

    30/12/2009

    Maria Stavraki Georgaki

    13/10/1944

    Lamaka

    Achilleas Demetriades

    Andreas Theocharis Stavraki (reservist)

    The victim had been serving with the 398th infantry battalion in Kythrea. According to a message sent via the I.C.R.C. the victim was apparently last seen in Kornokipos village around 20 September 1974. The village was under the control of the Turkish troops,


    Remains found in the mass grave in a well in Kiados and given to family on 9 October 2009.


    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 8 October 2009 indicated two bullet wounds to the head. A post-mortem examination dated 7 October 2009 carried out by a forensic pathologist/pathological anatomist indicated as the cause of death a bullet wound to the head fired by a low velocity weapon at relatively close range. The doctor also noted that the hands were missing and that “there was a suspicion of a second bullet having passed through the temporo-parietal regions”.

    G.  Other

    59490/09

    08/10/2009

    Eleni Rossides

    [date of birth]

    Nicosia

    Kypros Rossides

    [date of birth]

    Sydney

    Konstantinos Rossides

    [date of birth]

    Nicosia

    Maria Vakanas

    [date of birth]

    Nicosia


    Xenis Xenofontos

    Konstantinos (Kostakis) Rossides

    Last seen on 22 July 1974 in Ayios Georgios, Kyrenia with other men belonging to the 33rd Infantry Battalion. The battalion had retreated to Kyrenia.


    Remains found in Templos village in the Kyrenia District (grave contained the remains of 2 individuals) and were exhumed between 12-13 September 2006. The applicants stated that they were notified of this discovery on or about 9 April 2009; (i) the summary report of Anthropological identification by the CMP Bi communal forensic team dated 17 August 2009 (ii) a letter by CMP informing relatives of discovery and identification of remains dated 21 July 2009.

    The medical certificate for the cause of death dated 10 April 2009 indicated a wound to the skull and to the right fibula (calf bone).

    37368/08

    02/07/2008

    Anastasia Hadjisoteriou

    21/03/1951

    Nicosia

    Frosa Hadjisoteri

    25/03/1924

    Limassol

    Kyriakos Konstantinou

    30/10/1948

    Limassol

    Soteris Antoni

    05/12/1945

    London


    Andreas Angelides

    Antonis Constanti Hadjisoteri

    Last seen on 20 August 1974 in his village of Komi Kebir, which had come under the control of the Turkish forces. During the day the men were detained at the village coffee bar. On 20 August 1974 the applicant was taken away from the coffee bar, along with another five co-villagers, by Turkish soldiers. They were all seen entering a vehicle which drove off to an unknown location.

    Remains found on 19 September 2006 on 19 September 2006 in a grave in the locality of Livadia (Sazliköy) (with remains of 11 others)1; given to the family on 18 April 2008; letter by CMP informing relatives of discovery and identification of remains dated 28 March 2008.


    The medical certificate for the cause of death signed by a doctor and dated 7 March 2008 indicated two bullet wounds to the head.






    1 Appears to be the same grave as in cases of Kashouris and Others v. Turkey (no. 29673/08) and Christophi and Others v. Turkey (no. 45656/08).


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URL: http://www.bailii.org/eu/cases/ECHR/2010/908.html