PROCEDURE

The case originated in an application (no. 67145/01) against the Republic of Turkey lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) by five Turkish nationals, Ms Habibe Kır, Ms Feriştah Çenesiz, Mr Hasan Çenesiz, Ms Fatma Ekiz and Mr Ali Çenesiz (“the applicants”), on 19 November 2000.

The applicants were represented by Mr Mahmut Akdoğan, a lawyer practising in Mersin. The Turkish Government (“the Government”) did not designate an Agent for the purposes of the proceedings before the Court.

On 30 September 2004 the Court (Third Section) declared the application inadmissible in respect of Mr Ali Çenesiz and decided to communicate the application to the Government in respect of the rest of the applicants. Under the provisions of Article 29 § 3 of the Convention, it decided to examine the merits of the application at the same time as its admissibility.

On 1 April 2006 this case was assigned to the newly constituted Fifth Section (Rule 25 § 5 and Rule 52 § 1).

THE FACTS

I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE

The applicants Ms Habibe Kır, Ms Feriştah Çenesiz, Mr Hasan Çenesiz and Ms Fatma Ekiz were born in 1926, 1941, 1951 and 1951 respectively and live in Mersin.

On 17 December 1992 the General Directorate of National Roads and Highways expropriated plots of land belonging to the applicants in Mersin in order to build a motorway. A committee of experts assessed the value of the plots and the relevant amounts were paid to them when the expropriation took place.

On 28 December 1994, following the applicants’ requests for increased compensation, the Mersin Civil Court awarded them an additional compensation of 131,387,300 Turkish liras (TRL) plus interest at the statutory rate, applicable at the date of the court’s decision, running from the date of transfer of title deeds of the plots of land.

On 14 September 1998 the Court of Cassation upheld the judgment of the Mersin Civil Court.

On 22 June 2000 the General Directorate of National Roads and Highways paid the amount of TRL 556,290,000 to the applicants, interest included.