Hacı Zeki Uzun v. Turkey (11564/02)

Date	20080327
Article	5(3)
Decision	violation

Violation of Article 5 § 3

Hacı Zeki Uzun v. Turkey (no. 11564/02)

The applicant, Hacı Zeki Uzun, is a Turkish national who was born in 1956 and lives in İzmir (Turkey).

In October 1999 the applicant was arrested and taken into police custody on suspicion of aiding and abetting an illegal armed organisation, the PKK (the Kurdistan Workers’ Party). Criminal proceedings were brought against him but he was ultimately acquitted in May 2000. Relying, in particular, on Article 5 § 3 (right to liberty and security), the applicant complained about the length of his detention in police custody.

The Court held unanimously that there had been a violation of Article 5 § 3 on account of the applicant’s detention having lasted almost six days without judicial intervention. The applicant was awarded EUR 1,000 for non-pecuniary damage. (The judgment is available only in English.)