Sunday 24 January 2010

Apostolides v. Orams Case - "The Party is Over"

The expression on the face of Cherie Blair Booth QC in this image seems appropriate to re-publish from the post on this blog in April 2009 with reference to the judgement issued on 19th January by the British High Court on the Apostolides v Orams case, in which she was counsel for the losing Orams couple.

View the actual judgement online here

Video of a 24th March 2010 Seminar organised by the Lobby for Cyprus, with Constantis Candounas and Meletis Apostolides and other speakers, providing an update on this case as well as about the February 2010 judgement by the ECHR in the Demopoulos v. Turkey case is available by clicking here.

The Cyprus Mail's Stephanos Evripidou reported on the 22nd of January
"Foreign trespassers and illegal developers of Greek Cypriot properties in the north were warned in no uncertain terms yesterday that “the party is over” by the lawyer for Melitis Apostolides in the Orams case. Constantis Candounas warned that there was “no free ride” anymore for those who exploit Greek Cypriot properties in the north following the victory in the English Court of Appeal on Tuesday. “My only message to trespassers and illegal developers in the north is that the party is over. I’m sorry,” he said. The English Appeals Court ruled in favour of Apostolides, ordering the Orams to demolish the home they built on his land in Lapithos, return the property and pay back rent (£300 for every month since 2002 plus interest) and legal costs, estimated at around £1.35 million sterling."
From now on the judgements of Cypriot courts which refer to properties in the occupied territories can be registered and executed in the United Kingdom, and of course also in the other countries of the European Union.

The significance of the judgement by the British Court was also highlighted in statements to CyBC by Mr Apostolides's British counsel (contained in the 19th January news report in Greek, provided below)
"It means that the English courts are prepared to vindicate the property and human rights of people who have been driven from their land by force of arms. I think that's very important. It means that we take seriously the rule of law - and I was worried at one stage that the English courts might want to try and avoid that issue, because its difficult. The other thing which I think is really important is that it sends a big signal to people, saying - 'be very careful if buying property in the north of Cyprus. Find out who owned it previously'."
The Press Release by the Law Office of the Republic of Cyprus is here

Clip 1 - News in English followed by midday news in Greek including a telephone interview with lawyer Costantis Candounas about the outcome.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6Cna1P5YnQ



Clip 2 - midday interview with Costantis Candounas
followed by the main evening news, all spoken in Greek
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzqNqtiZJVA



Clip 3 - main evening news in Greek continued, followed
by the news in Turkish.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOU0RigUASU




The CyBC's Eponymos program on the evening of 19th January carried a one hour discussion on the outcome of the case, chaired by Emilia Kenevezou, featuring four heavyweights from Cyprus' legal profession - Kypros Chrysostomides, Andreas Angelides, Achilleas Demetriades, Christos Clerides



Apostolides Orams Outcome - The Party is Over 1of2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wagVeXt9TuU
News in English, then the news in Greek 21/1/10



Apostolides Orams Outcome - The Party is Over 2of2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6Xfx0FmQ5M
News in Greek continued, then news in Turkish 21/1/10




1 comment:

VICTORIASLOSS said...

3 British housewives are sueing Turkey/TRNC through the American courts aided by the Tsimpedes Law Firm Washington DC.,for the crimes they have suffered at the hands of the North Cyprus Regime over the past 6 years. They and thousands of others have paid Millions of pounds sterling for properties that they haven't got and were never designed to get. They and 1000's of others were led to believe that the land belonged to the vendor, after all who would question a Warwick University trained Lawyer and a Land Registry Office ? Was it a scam from the start - the American courts will soon uncover the truth when the bank accounts are opened under US Law !



The women have proved there is no enforceable legal system in the TRNC so therefore will be launching a lawsuit in Washington DC against Turkey for their losses to those in the TRNC. This action is not just open to victims if AGA DEVELOPMENT but anyone who has been allegedly scammed or suffered crimes at the hands of the North Cyprus regime and its associates, no matter what nationality, creed or culture !



To join us See blog for AGA BUYERS ACTION GROUP

http://latchfords.spaces.live.com/