May 2010 – Strasbourg

The European Court of Human Rights on 20 May 2010 issued judgment in the case of Cox v. Turkey, which first came before the Court in an application of 28 August 2002 and was communicated to the government of Turkey in February 2008. The case concerned activities of the applicant, Ms Norma Jean Cox of Philadelphia, the United States, during the period of her residence as a student and teacher in Turkey during 1972-1985 and on the occasion of her attempted re-entry into Turkey in 1996. The applicant alleged that she had been subjected to unjustified treatment on account of her religion, and that she had been deported from Turkey with a ban imposed on her re-entry, on account of opinions she had expressed. In its 20 May judgment, the Court declared admissible and issued judgment only on that part of the applicant’s complaint concerning abrogation of freedom of expression since 1996, awarding 12,000 euros “in respect of non-pecuniary damage,” and dismissing the remainder of the applicant’s claim for just satisfaction.