The applicants, Ilker Denizci, Aziz Merthoca, Hüseyin Mavideniz, Yilmaz Mavideniz, Dogan Davulcular, Hasan Merthoca, Erbay Kaptanoglu, Taşer Ali Kişmir and Rebiye Tufansoy, Cypriot nationals, live in Cyprus.
In 1994 the applicants (and, in the case of the ninth applicant, her son) were living in the southern part of Cyprus. Between 4 and 22 April 1994, the applicants (and, in the case of the ninth applicant, her son) were arrested by Cypriot police officers and ill-treated. They were obliged to sign statements saying that they were leaving for the northern part of Cyprus of their own free will. They were then expelled to northern Cyprus, and told that they would be killed if they returned to the south. However, certain applicants (and, in the case of the ninth applicant, her son) returned later to the south, where they were obliged by the police to give statements to the effect that they had been ill-treated by the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” (the “TRNC”) authorities, who had forced them to sign application forms to the European Commission of Human Rights. On 2 June 1994, upon his return to the south, the ninth applicant’s son, İlker Tufansoy, was shot and killed by unknown persons.
The applicants alleged violations of Articles 3, 5 and 8 and Article 14 in conjunction with Articles 3 and 5 of the Convention, Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 and Articles 2 and 3 of Protocol No. 4.
Citation: Denizci and others v Cyprus (App no 25316-25321/94 and 27207/95) ECHR 23 May 2001
(from the official press-release prepared by the Registry Office of the European Court of Human Rights)