Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines v Turkey (The “Cape Maleas”) – European Court of Human Rights (Mr B M Zupancic, President, Mr C Birsan, Mr R Turmen, Mrs A Gyulumyan, Mr E Myjer, Mrs I Ziemele and Mrs I Berro-Lefevre, Judges) – 13 December 2007

Human rights – Charterparty – Cypriot vessel chartered by Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines for time charter trip to Iranian ports – Vessel ordered to load cargo of arms in Bulgaria – Bills of lading specifying Syrian discharge port – Charterers intending cargo to be discharged in Iran – Turkish authorities seizing vessel and cargo in Bosphorus on suspicion of arms smuggling and breach of Montreux Convention – Master imprisoned for importing arms without permission – Whether Turkish authorities infringed charterers’ human rights – European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Article 1 of First Protocol and Article 6