CEDH · PRESS;HEARINGS;ENG — 22 avril 1999

.s800EAC49 { font-size:12pt } .sFE10DC93 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center } .s29100277 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold } .sA1D3DA2E { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify } .s94935B0F { width:389.85pt; display:inline-block } .sBB9EE52A { font-family:Arial } .s23A41E03 { width:36pt; display:inline-block } .s76CF415B { page-break-before:always; clear:both } .s4DDA3AA3 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic } .s33165EBA { font-family:Arial; font-size:8pt; vertical-align:super; color:#0069d6 } .s7ED160F0 { text-decoration:none } .s32563E28 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt } .sD35C6159 { width:1.54pt; display:inline-block } .s38DD6A04 { width:18.2pt; display:inline-block } .sF6A12959 { width:33%; height:1px; text-align:left } .s2EB42ED2 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt } EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS     221   22.4.1999   Press release issued by the Registrar   HEARING IN THE CASE OF ÖZDEP v. TURKEY   Thursday, 22 April 1999 at 9 a.m.     The applicant     The case concerns an application (application no.   23885/94) brought by the Freedom and Democracy Party (ÖZDEP), a dissolved Turkish political party.   Summary of the facts     ÖZDEP was founded on 19 October 1992. On 29 January 1993, Principal State Counsel at the Court of Cassation applied to the Constitutional Court for an order dissolving ÖZDEP on the grounds that its programme sought to undermine the territorial integrity and secular nature of the State and the unity of the nation. While the Constitutional Court proceedings were still pending, the founding members of the party resolved to dissolve it in order to protect themselves and the party leaders from the consequences of a dissolution order – namely a ban on their holding similar office in other political parties. On 14 July 1993 the Constitutional Court made an order dissolving ÖZDEP.   Complaints     The applicant party complains that its right to freedom of association guaranteed under Article   11 of the European Convention on Human Rights has been infringed. It also relies on Article 9 (freedom of thought), Article 10 (freedom of expression) and Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination).   Procedure     The application was lodged with the European Commission of Human Rights on 21   March 1994. Having found the application admissible, the Commission adopted a report on 12   March 1998 expressing the opinion (by twenty-nine votes to one) that there had been a violation of Article   11 and that no separate issue arose under Articles 9, 10 or 14 of the Convention. The Commission referred the case to the Court on 24   September 1998. Composition of the Court     Under the transitional provisions of Protocol No. 11 to the Convention, the case was transmitted to the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights on the entry into force of the Protocol, on 1 November 1998. The case will be heard by the Grand Chamber composed as follows:   Luzius Wildhaber   (Swiss), President , Elisabeth Palm   (Swedish), Antonio Pastor Ridruejo   (Spanish), Giovanni Bonello   (Maltese), Jerzy Makarczyk   (Polish), Pranas Kūris   (Lithuanian), Jean-Paul Costa   (French), Françoise Tulkens   (Belgian), Viera Strážnická   (Slovakian), Marc Fischbach   (Luxemburger), Volodymyr Butkevych   (Ukrainian), Josep Casadevall   (Andorran), Hanne Sophie Greve   (Norwegian), András Baka   (Hungarian), Rait Maruste   (Estonian), Snejana Botoucharova   (Bulgarian), Judges , Feyyaz Gölcüklü , (Turkish), ad hoc Judge , Lucius Caflisch   (Swiss) [1] , Wilhelmina Thomassen   (Dutch), Karel Jungwiert   (Czech), Substitute Judges ,   and also Paul Mahoney, Deputy Registrar .   Representatives of the parties   Government:   Mr Durmuş Tezcan , Agent , Mr Münci Özmen , Co-agent , Mrs Deniz Akçay , Co-agent, and Mr   Fırat Polat , Mrs Işık Balmaz Keremoğlu , Mrs Gökşen Acar and Mrs   Melek Karali , advisers ;   Applicant:   Mr Hasip Kaplan , of the Istanbul Bar, counsel .     The European Commission of Human Rights will be represented by Mr Jean-Claude Geus , Delegate .     After the hearing the Court will begin its deliberations, which are held in private. Judgment will be delivered at a later date.   Subject to his duty of discretion, the Registrar is responsible under the Rules of Court for replying to requests for information concerning the work of the Court, and in particular to enquiries from the press.   Registry of the European Court of Human Rights F – 67075 Strasbourg Cedex Contact: Roderick Liddell Telephone: (0)3 88 41 24 92; fax: (0)3 88 41 27 91   [1] Judge elected in respect of Liechtenstein