SECOND SECTION
PARTIAL DECISION
AS TO THE ADMISSIBILITY OF
Application nos.
18904/09, 18914/09, 21320/09, 21333/09, 21353/09, 21362/09, 21372/09,
21384/09, 21386/09, 21394/09, 21399/09, 21775/09, 21778/09, 21780/09,
21790/09, 21800/09, 21819/09, 21828/09, 21834/09, 23991/09, 23992/09,
23993/09, 23994/09, 23995/09, 23996/09, 23997/09, 23998/09, 23999/09,
24000/09, 24001/09, 24002/09, 24003/09, 24004/09, 24005/09, 24006/09,
24007/09, 24008/09, 24009/09, 24010/09, 24011/09, 24012/09, 24013/09,
24014/09, 24015/09 and 24016/09
against Turkey
The European Court of Human Rights (Second Section), sitting on 3 November 2009 as a Chamber composed of:
Françoise
Tulkens, President,
Ireneu
Cabral Barreto,
Danutė Jočienė,
András
Sajó,
Nona Tsotsoria,
Işıl
Karakaş,
Kristina Pardalos, judges,
and Sally Dollé, Section Registrar,
Having regard to the above applications lodged on 19 February 2009,
Having deliberated, decides as follows:
THE FACTS
The applicants, whose names and dates of birth are set out in the appendix, are Turkish nationals. They are represented before the Court by Mr C.K. Öner and Ms F. Esenyel, lawyers practising in Istanbul.
The facts of the case, as submitted by the applicants, may be summarised as follows.
On 13 March 1996 the authority of a stock broker firm (Yener Kaya Menkul Değerler A.Ş) to operate in the stock exchange was annulled. The firm was managing the equity securities of the applicants at the relevant time.
On 15 May 1998 the firm was declared bankrupt. Following the insolvency proceedings, the exact amounts of its debts to creditors were determined in 2005.
On different dates in January 2005, the applicants had recourse to the Capital Markets Board (the Board), seeking compensation for some of their losses in accordance with Law no. 4487.
On 3 March 2005 the Board calculated their loss in a less favourable way than they had asked, relying on a leading decision it had given in 2002.
Between 7 and 23 March 2005 (in application no. 24014/09 on 24 August 2005), the applicants initiated administrative proceedings for the annulment of the Board’s decision of 2005 and the leading decision of 2002.
On 1 May 2006 the 13th Chamber of the Supreme Administrative Court, dealing with the cases as a first instance court, set aside both decisions of the Board in application no. 21399/09. Between May and September 2006, the Chamber gave the same judgment in the other applications, merely mentioning its conclusion of 1 May 2006.
On 31 May 2007 the Plenary Supreme Administrative Court (Administrative Chambers) quashed the judgment in application no. 21399/09, having found the Board’s original decisions to have been lawful and not in contradiction with Law no. 4487. On the same date it also overturned the remaining judgments with reference to its first decision.
On 27 March 2008 the rectification requests introduced by the applicants were dismissed by the Plenary Supreme Administrative Court (Administrative Chambers).
According to the information in the case files, the cases are still pending before the competent Chamber.
THE LAW
The Court considers that the complaint should be examined in two parts.
As to the length of the administrative proceedings, the Court notes that they have lasted approximately four years and eight months (in 44 applications) and four years and three months (in the application no. 24014/09) and are not final yet, before one level of jurisdiction, acting first in the chamber formation and then in its plenary capacity (see, a contrario, Aras v. Turkey, no. 1895/05, §§ 8-12 and 23, 17 February 2009, in which the Court considered that there were two judicial instances. In comparison with the present application, in the mentioned case, the domestic decision had been final at the time of lodging).
The Court considers that it cannot, on the basis of the case files, determine the admissibility of this complaint and that it is therefore necessary, in accordance with Rule 54 § 2 (b) of the Rules of Court, to give notice of it to the respondent Government.
Concerning the length of the bankruptcy proceedings, the Court notes that they were completed in 2005. It follows that this complaint falls outside the six-month time-limit and must be rejected pursuant to Article 35 §§ 1 and 4 of the Convention.
3. The applicants also contend under Article 6 § 1 of the Convention that the administrative proceedings were unfair in that no hearing was held, the arguments of the Board were favoured and the decisions were not sufficiently reasoned.
The Court notes that the cases are still pending before the domestic court. Therefore, these complaints are premature and must be rejected for non exhaustion of domestic remedies pursuant to Article 35 §§ 1 and 4 of the Convention (see, for example, Koç v. Turkey (dec.), no. 36686/07, 26 February 2008).
The Court reiterates that the proceedings have not been finalised in the domestic system. Thus, this complaint is also premature and must be rejected for non-exhaustion of domestic remedies pursuant to Article 35 §§ 1 and 4 of the Convention.
For these reasons, the Court unanimously
Decides to join the applications;
Decides to adjourn the examination of the applicants’ complaint concerning the length of the administrative proceedings;
Declares the remainder of the applications inadmissible.
Sally Dollé Françoise Tulkens
Registrar President
APPENDIX
Appli- cation no. |
Name of the applicants and date of birth |
Date of adminis- trative cases |
Date of the first instance court’s (13th Chamber of the Supreme Administrative Court) judgment and file no. |
Date of the Plenary Supreme Administrative Court (Administrative Chambers) decision upon appeal and file no. |
Date of the Plenary Supreme Administrative Court (Administrative Chambers) decision upon rectification and file no. |
18904/09 |
Mr Mahmut Bacak 26/7/1947 |
23/3/2005 |
1/5/2006 2005/8992 E 2006/2022 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2741 E 2007/1455 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2793 E 2008/673 K |
18914/09 |
Mr Metin Can 24/1/1962 |
14/3/2005 |
1/5/2006 2005/8986 E 2006/2025 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2785 E 2007/1475 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2810 E 2008/689 K |
21320/09 |
Mr Celal Özdemir 1937 |
10/3/2005 |
22/5/2006 2005/8988 E 2006/2213 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2745 E 2007/1489 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2811 E 2008/690 K |
21333/09 |
Mr Erden Taman 19/5/1957 Ms Canan Taman 13/10/1962 |
23/3/2005 |
26/6/2006 2006/1559 E 2006/2717 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2772 E 2007/1519 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2777 E 2008/658 K |
21353/09 |
Mr Mahmut Reşat İnal 16/1/1958 |
18/3/2005 |
26/6/2006 2006/1250 E 2006/2716 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2774 E 2007/1505 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2757 E 2008/638 K |
21362/09 |
Mr İsmail Turgut Kıvanç 2/7/1957 |
9/3/2005 |
25/9/2006 2006/1893 E 2006/3617 K |
31/5/2007 2006/3687 E 2007/1501 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2755 E 2008/636 K |
21372/09 |
Mr Fazıl Ekim 15/2/1967 |
9/3/2005 |
25/9/2006 2006/2236 E 2006/3597 K |
31/5/2007 2006/3670 E 2007/1467 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2765 E 2008/646 K |
21384/09 |
Mr Bora Büyüksağnak 8/1/1967 |
10/3/2005 |
1/5/2006 2005/9534 E 2006/2027 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2747 E 2007/1473 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2801 E 2008/680 K |
21386/09 |
Mr Dursun Ateş 1/1/1943 |
18/3/2005 |
26/6/2006 2006/1574 E 2006/2732 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2761 E 2007/1506 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2787 E 2008/667 K |
21394/09 |
Mr Mazlum Çöpür 1/1/1961 |
10/3/2005 |
26/6/2006 2006/1254 E 2006/2733 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2780 E 2007/1453 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2797 E 2008/676 K |
21399/09 |
Mr Sabri Oğuz Argana 3/5/1968 |
23/3/2005 |
1/5/2006 2005/7700 E 2006/2034 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2749 E 2007/1307 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2781 E 2008/617 K |
21775/09 |
Mr Ünal Öker 3/5/1966 |
23/3/2005 |
22/5/2006 2006/795 E 2006/2211 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2787 E 2007/1482 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2766 E 2008/647 K |
21778/09 |
Mr Selim Ay 30/6/1972 |
9/3/2005 |
26/6/2006 2006/1119 E 2006/2718 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2767 E 2007/1495 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2749 E 2008/630 K |
21780/09 |
Mr Özhan Maraton 10/1/1942 |
7/3/2005 |
26/6/2006 2006/1255 E 2006/2726 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2742 E 2007/1490 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2756 E 2008/637 K |
21790/09 |
Mr Hulusi Sam 21/5/1958 |
14/3/2005 |
25/9/2006 2006/3153 E 2006/3602 K |
31/5/2007 2006/3672 E 2007/1515 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2805 E 2008/684 K |
21800/09 |
Ms Melahat Özdemir 5/2/1956 |
23/3/2005 |
22/5/2006 2005/9006 E 2006/2210 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2790 E 2007/1477 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2817 E 2008/696 K |
21819/09 |
Mr Hacı Bölen 9/9/1958 |
9/3/2005 |
1/5/2006 2005/7996 E 2006/2023 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2759 E 2007/1487 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2813 E 2008/692 K |
21828/09 |
Mr Kenan Küçük 5/1/1968 |
9/3/2005 |
1/5/2006 2005/9011 E 2006/2029 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2775 E 2007/1484 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2744 E 2008/625 K |
21834/09 |
Mr Hasan Ceyhan 11/1/1947 |
7/3/2005 |
26/6/2006 2005/9005 E 2006/2713 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2778 E 2007/1516 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2791 E 2008/671 K |
23991/09 |
Mr Adil Akbaş 9/9/1968 |
10/3/2005 |
25/9/2006 2006/2248 E 2006/3601 K |
31/5/2007 2006/3692 E 2007/1523 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2773 E 2008/654 K |
23992/09 |
Mr Sami Sevindik 1/1/1960 |
14/3/2005 |
1/5/2006 2005/9537 E 2006/2031 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2757 E 2007/1456 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2778 E 2008/659 K |
23993/09 |
Ms Fatma Nermin Ertürk 21/7/1944 |
18/3/2005 |
22/5/2006 2005/9017 E 2006/2207 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2777 E 2007/1510 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2815 E 2008/694 K |
23994/09 |
Ms Vildan Savaşer 1/1/1937 |
7/3/2005 |
26/6/2006 2005/9003 E 2006/2720 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2746 E 2007/1472 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2752 E 2008/633 K |
23995/09 |
Mr İsmail Yıldız 10/5/1964 |
10/3/2005 |
26/6/2006 2005/8985 E 2006/2722 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2755 E 2007/1458 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2814 E 2008/693 K |
23996/09 |
Mr Ziya Sakız 27/4/1959 |
23/3/2005 |
1/5/2006 2005/8994 E 2006/2032 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2752 E 2007/1517 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2780 E 2008/661 K |
23997/09 |
Ms Semiha Öztürk 1951 |
9/3/2005 |
25/9/2006 2006/3154 E 2006/3609 K |
31/5/2007 2006/3677 E 2007/1511 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2804 E 2008/683 K |
23998/09 |
Mr Özcan Tonguroğlu 27/2/1959 |
18/3/2005 |
25/9/2006 2006/3788 E 2006/3615 K |
31/5/2007 2006/3683 E 2007/1496 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2764 E 2008/645 K |
23999/09 |
Mr Bekir Petek 12/5/1963 |
9/3/2005 |
1/5/2006 2005/7720 E 2006/2018 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2768 E 2007/1454 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2745 E 2008/626 K |
24000/09 |
Mr Hüseyin Aydın 1/3/1954 |
9/3/2005 |
22/5/2006 2005/9012 E 2006/2215 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2744 E 2007/1462 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2798 E 2008/677 K |
24001/09 |
Mr Ünal Erdem 25/5/1941 |
10/3/2005 |
26/6/2006 2006/1561 E 2006/2715 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2788 E 2007/1308 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2751 E 2008/632 K |
24002/09 |
Mr Baki Akkaya 2/1/1969 |
10/3/2005 |
1/5/2006 2005/8989 E 2006/2020 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2750 E 2007/1504 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2809 E 2008/688 K |
24003/09 |
Ms Kadriye Serbest 1/1/1961 |
10/3/2005 |
26/6/2006 2006/1252 E 2006/2731 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2760 E 2007/1478 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2783 E 2008/663 K |
24004/09 |
Mr Latif Yanar 3/3/1958 |
10/3/2005 |
26/6/2006 2006/1125 E 2006/2719 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2781 E 2007/1494 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2790 E 2008/670 K |
24005/09 |
Mrs Fatma Perihan Özsoyoğlu 12/3/1946 |
18/3/2005 |
25/9/2006 2006/1996 E 2006/3600 K |
31/5/2007 2006/3685 E 2007/1498 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2779 E 2008/660 K |
24006/09 |
Mr Erbil Ünveren 9/2/1950 |
23/3/2005 |
26/6/2006 2006/1251 E 2006/2712 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2763 E 2007/1509 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2789 E 2008/669 K |
24007/09 |
Mr Ömer Faruk Oduncu 21/12/1961 |
10/3/2005 |
25/9/2006 2006/1974 E 2006/3612 K |
31/5/2007 2006/3682 E 2007/1525 K |
27/3/2008 2007/275 9 E 2008/640 K |
24008/09 |
Mr Yaşar Gücüyenen 4/3/1958 |
9/3/2005 |
26/6/2006 2006/1341 E 2006/2729 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2779 E 2007/1483 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2769 E 2008/650 K |
24009/09 |
Ms Kadriye Özdemir 15/10/1942 Ms Özden Özdemir 6/10/1962 Mr Önder Özdemir 10/5/1961 |
9/3/2005 |
25/9/2006 2006/3786 E 2006/3608 K |
31/5/2007 2006/3680 E 2007/1514 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2763 E 2008/644 K |
24010/09 |
Mr Ali Rıza Mumoğlu 10/1/1948 |
14/3/2005 |
25/9/2006 2006/3782 E 2006/3618 K |
31/5/2007 2006/3689 E 2007/1469 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2748 E 2008/629 K |
24011/09 |
Mr Hanifi Kardaş 9/11/1951 |
7/3/2005 |
25/9/2006 2006/1992 E 2006/3605 K |
31/5/2007 2006/3694 E 2007/1522 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2762 E 2008/643 K |
24012/09 |
Mr Murat Daşkın 13/6/1966 |
14/3/2005 |
25/9/2006 2006/3540 E 2006/3598 K |
31/5/2007 2006/3691 E 2007/1465 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2768 E 2008/649 K |
24013/09 |
Mr İlhan Bakan 7/9/1945 |
10/3/2005 |
22/5/2006 2005/10001 E 2006/2206 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2764 E 2007/1460 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2774 E 2008/655 K |
24014/09 |
Mr Mert Alp Aykutlu 4/9/1971 |
24/8/2005 |
1/5/2006 2005/8962 E 2006/2024 K |
31/5/2007 2006/2784 E 2007/1459 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2808 E 2008/687 K |
24015/09 |
Mr Hüsnü Özvardar 20/2/1967 |
9/3/2005 |
25/9/2006 2006/3151 E 2006/3604 K |
31/5/2007 2006/3675 E 2007/1513 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2786 E 2008/666 K |
24016/09 |
Ms Gülsüme Kalender 29/10/1959 |
7/3/2005 |
25/9/2006 2006/1885 E 2006/3616 K |
31/5/2007 2006/3684 E 2007/1497 K |
27/3/2008 2007/2767 E 2008/648 K |