The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled on 2 December that Turkish Labour Party (EMEP) member Ahmet Gemici’s right to freedom of expression was violated when the police seized copies of a party magazine whose distribution or sale had been banned.

The ECHR, which argued that Gemici had no way knowing that the material he had was banned, sentenced Turkey to pay 1180 euro as compensation to the applicant, who complained about the ban and about his subsequent conviction without a public hearing.