The ICJ has intervened in two cases against Turkey before the European Court of Human Rights in which civil society claimed that obstacles put to their access to court were in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights.In the two cases Cangi and Others v. Turkey (facts of the case here and here), the applicants argued that the limitations to their access to courts to challenge administrative acts detrimental to the environment were in breach of article 6.1 of the European Convention on Human Rights, notably the right to access to justice.
The obstacles originate from a change in jurisprudence by Turkish courts of the requirements for standing to bring a case that restricted access to courts only to person directly affected or their representatives.
The ICJ submitted two third party interventions highlighting the international human rights standards and jurisprudence in access to justice and the state of access to effective remedies and courts in Turkey.
First third party intervention: ECtHR-Amicus-Turkey-ICJ-CangiANDOthers2018 – Final
Second third party intervention: ECtHR-Amicus-Turkey-ICJ-CangiANDOthers2019-Final-2022-eng