Human Rights Violations faced by Turkish Cypriots

Year 2010, Volume: 3 Issue: 1, 19 - 24, 01.01.2010

Aslı Aksu

Abstract

The right to hold property is considered to be of equal value as the “right to live” in the European Convention on Human Rights (hereinafter “ECHR”). Therefore, the violation of the right to hold property is deemed to be a violation of human rights. The property rights of Turkish Cypriots have been violated since 1975. There have been material and immaterial losses stemming from the violation of these rights. Turkish Cypriots, like other people, have the right to litigate these losses. However, a great majority of them are not informed of the extent of their litigation rights; material and immaterial compensation cases and accompanying restitution of property cases may be filed at the Europen Court of Human Rights (hereinafter “the Court”) by Turkish Cypriots having real property on the Greek (southern) part of Cyprus. They only need to be aware of which effective legal remedies to resort to.