CoE Ministers adopt interim resolution on Cyprus versus Turkey case

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has adopted a second interim resolution concerning the execution of a judgment, in May 2001, by the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Cyprus against Turkey.
The Court found a number of violations of the European Convention on Human Rights by Turkey in the northern part of Cyprus since the Turkish military invasion in 1974.
As regards the issue of missing persons, the Committee emphasizes again the urgency of this issue, welcomes the progress achieved in the work of the Committee of Missing Persons (CMP) and in particular through the exhumation and identification programme, and encourages the continuation of the efforts so far deployed.
However it calls on Turkey to rapidly provide information on additional measures required to ensure the effective investigation called for by the Court’s judgment.
As regards education, censorship in the occupied areas and the absence of appropriate facilities, the Committee welcomes “the continued functioning of the secondary school in Rizokarpaso since 2004 and in particular the fact that since September 2005 full secondary education to Greek Cypriot children is ensured”.
It notes with satisfaction “the undertaking of the Turkish authorities to continue to provide for full secondary education for Greek Cypriot children in the future” and welcomes “that censorship of schoolbooks no longer takes place”.
The Committee therefore “decides to close the examination of the issues relating to the violations found under Article 2 Protocol 1 and Article 10 of the Convention”.
On the freedom of religion of Greek Cypriots living in northern Turkish-occupied Cyprus, the Committee welcomes that “restrictions have been lifted in a satisfactory manner” and notes in particular that “numerous examples demonstrate that a normal and regular religious life in conformity with the requirements of the Convention is today possible”.
Therefore it decides “to close the examination of the issues relating to the violations found under Article 9 of the Convention”.
Referring to issues relating to home and property of Greek – Cypriot displaced persons, the Committee urges the Turkish authorities to provide without delay information, as well as information on measures taken to safeguard the property rights of the displaced persons as these have been recognised in the judgment of the European Court, without prejudging the redress required by the Convention, be it restitution, compensation, exchange or otherwise.
In 2005, a first Interim Resolution was adopted, which concerned in particular the issue of missing persons, certain aspects of the issue of living conditions of Greek Cypriots living in the occupied areas, in particular regarding education and the freedom of religion, and the issue relating to the rights of military courts to judge civilians.