Links to all sites last visited 31 March 2021
Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus 1960, as amended to 2019
Marriage and Family Life
- EnglishFor the purposes of this Constitution—
…
(7) (a) a married woman shall belong to the Community to which her husband belongs;
(b) A male or female child under the age of twenty-one who is not married shall belong to the Community to which his or her father belongs, or, if the father is unknown and he or she has not been adopted, to the Community to which his or her mother belongs. (Art. 2) - GreekΔια τους σκοπούς του παρόντος Συντάγματος:
…
7. (α) Η ύπανδρος γυνή ανήκει εις την κοινότητα του συζύγου αυτής.
(β) Το άρρεν ή θήλυ άγαμον τέκνον το μη συμπληρώσαν το εικοστόν πρώτον έτος της ηλικίας του ανήκει εις την κοινότητα του πατρός αυτού, επί δε αγνώστου πατρός και εφ’ όσον δεν έχει υιοθετηθή, εις την κοινότητα, εις ην ανήκει η μήτηρ αυτού. (Αρθρον 2) - TurkishBu Anayasa çerçevesinde:
…
(7) (a) evli bir kadın, kocasının mensup olduğu Cemaate mensup olur;
(b) yirmi bir yaşından küçük ve evli olmayan bir erkek veya kız çocuğu, babasının mensup olduğu veya, babası bilinmediği ve evlatlık da edinilmediği takdirde, annesinin mensup olduğu Cemaate mensup olur. (Madde 2)
Marriage and Family Life
- English1. Every person has the right to respect for his private and family life.
… (Art. 15) - Greek1. Έκαστος έχει το δικαίωμα όπως η ιδιωτική και οικογενειακή αυτού ζωή τυγχάνη σεβασμού.
… (Αρθρον 15) - Turkish1. Her şahıs, hususi ve ailevi hayatına saygı gösterilmesi hakkına sahiptir.
... (Madde 15)
Marriage and Family Life
- English1. Any person reaching nubile age is free to marry and to found a family according to the law relating to marriage, applicable to such person under the provisions of this Constitution.
2. The provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article shall, in the following cases, be applied as follows:-
a. if the law relating to marriage applicable to the parties as provided under Article 111 is not the same, the parties may elect to have their marriage governed by the law applicable to either of them under such Article;
b. if the provisions of Article 111 are not applicable to any of the parties to the marriage and neither of such parties is a member of the Turkish Community, the marriage shall be governed by a law of the Republic which the House of Representatives shall make and which shall not contain any restrictions other than those relating to age, health, proximity of relationship and prohibition of polygamy;
c. if the provisions of Article 111 are applicable only to one of the parties to the marriage and the other party is not a member of the Turkish Community, the marriage shall be governed by the law of the Republic as in sub-paragraph (b) of this paragraph provided:
Provided that the parties may elect to have their marriage governed by the law applicable, under Article 111, to one of such parties in so far as such law allows such marriage.
3. Nothing in this Article contained shall, in any way, affect the rights, other than those on marriage, of the Greek-Orthodox Church or of any religious group to which the provisions of paragraph 3 of Article 2 shall apply with regard to their respective members as provided in this Constitution. (Art. 22) - Greek1. Πας συμπληρώσας την προς γάμον ηλικίαν είναι ελεύθερος να συνάψη γάμον και ιδρύση οικογένειαν συμφώνως τω εφαρμοστέω δι’ έκαστον πρόσωπον, δυνάμει των διατάξεων του Συντάγματος, δικαίω περί γάμου.
2. Αι διατάξεις της πρώτης παραγράφου του παρόντος άρθρου εφαρμόζονται ως ακολούθως εις τας επομένας περιπτώσεις:
(α) εάν το εφαρμοστέον δι’ αμφοτέρους τους μέλλοντας να τελέσωσι γάμον, ως εν άρθρω 111 ορίζεται, δίκαιον περί γάμου δεν είναι το αυτό, οι μέλλοντες να τελέσωσι γάμον δύνανται να επιλέξωσιν, όπως ο γάμος αυτών διέπεται υπό του δικαίου του εφαρμοστέου δι’ εκάτερον τούτων συμφώνως τω ειρημένω άρθρω,
(β) εάν αι διατάξεις του άρθρου 111 δεν είναι εφαρμοστέαι διά τους μέλλοντας να τελέσωσι γάμον και ουδείς εξ αυτών είναι μέλος της τουρκικής κοινότητος, ο γάμος αυτών διέπεται υπό νόμου της Δημοκρατίας, ψηφιζομένου υπό της Βουλής, ο οποίος δεν δύναται να περιλαμβάνη περιορισμούς άλλους πλην των αφορώντων εις την ηλικίαν, την υγιείαν, τον βαθμόν συγγενείας και την απαγόρευσιν της πολυγαμίας,
(γ) εάν αι διατάξεις του άρθρου 111 είναι εφαρμοστέαι μόνον δι’ εκάτερον των μελλόντων να τελέσωσι γάμον και ο έτερος εξ αυτών δεν είναι μέλος της τουρκικής κοινότητος, ο γάμος διέπεται υπό νόμου της Δημοκρατίας, ως ορίζεται εν εδαφίω (β) της παρούσης παραγράφου, τηρουμένου του όρους ότι οι μέλλοντες να τελέσωσι γάμον δύνανται να επιλέξωσιν όπως ο γάμος αυτών διέπεται υπό του εφαρμοστέου συμφώνως τω άρθρω 111 δι’ εκάτερον αυτών δικαίου, εφ’ όσον τούτο επιτρέπει τοιούτον γάμον.
3. Ουδέν των εν τω παρόντι άρθρω περιλαμβανομένων επηρεάζει καθ’ οιονδήποτε τρόπον τα δικαιώματα, πλην των εις τον γάμον αναφερομένων, της ελληνικής ορθοδόξου Εκκλησίας ως προς τους ανήκοντας εις αυτήν ή οιασδήποτε θρησκευτικής ομάδος, δι’ ην εφαρμόζονται αι διατάξεις της τρίτης παραγράφου του άρθρου 2, ως προς τα μέλη αυτής, ως εν τω Συντάγματι ορίζεται. (Αρθρον 22) - Turkish1. Evlenme çağına erişen her şahıs, bu Anayasa hükümleri gereğince kendisine uygulanabilecek evlenmeye dair kanuna göre evlenmekte ve bir aile kurmakta hürdür.
2. Bu Maddenin 1. fıkrasının hükümleri, aşağıdaki hâllerde aşağıdaki gibi uygulanır:
(a) 111. Maddede gösterildiği üzere taraflara uygulanabilecek evliliğe dair kanun aynı olmadığı takdirde, taraflar, söz konusu Madde gereğince ikisinden birine uygulanabilecek olan kanundan birinin evlenmelerine uygulanmasını seçebilir;
(b) 111. Madde hükümleri evliliğe taraf olanlardan hiçbirine uygulanamaz ve taraflardan hiçbiri Türk Cemaatinin üyesi değilse, evliliğe, Temsilciler Meclisi tarafından yapılacak ve yaş, sağlık, akrabalık derecesi ve çok eşliliğin yasaklanmasına dair olanlardan başka kısıtlamalar koymayacak olan bir Cumhuriyet kanunu uygulanır;
c. 111. Madde hükümleri evliliğe taraf olanlardan yalnız birine uygulanabildiği ve diğer taraf Türk Cemaatinin bir üyesi olmadığı takdirde, evliliğe, bu fıkranın (b) bendinde gösterilen Cumhuriyet kanunu uygulanır:
Ancak evliliğe taraf olanlar, ilgili kanunun evlenmelerine izin vermesi şartı ile, 111. Madde gereğince ikisinden birine uygulanabilecek olan kanunun evliliklerine uygulanmasını seçebilir.
3. Bu madde hükmü, hiçbir suretle, Rum-Ortodoks Kilisesinin veya üyelerine 2. Maddenin 3. fıkrası hükümleri uygulanacak olan herhangi diğer bir dini grubun, evliliğe dair olanlardan başka bu Anayasada gösterilen haklarına etki etmez. (Madde 22)
Marriage and Family Life
- English1. Subject to the provisions of this Constitution any matter relating to betrothal, marriage, nullity of marriage of members of the Greek-Orthodox Church or of a religious group to which the provisions of paragraph 3 of Article 2 shall apply shall, on and after the date of the coming into operation of this Constitution, be governed by the law of the Greek-Orthodox Church or of the Church of such religious group, as the case may be. A Law shall provide for an attempt of reconciliation or of spiritual dissolution of marriage to be made before a Bishop.
2. A. Any matter relating to divorce, judicial separation or restitution of conjugal rights or to family relations of the members of the Greek-Orthodox Church, shall be cognizable by family courts each of which is composed:
a) For a divorce trial, of three judges, one of which is a lawyer ecclesiastical officer appointed by the Greek Orthodox Church and presides over the Court and the other two of high professional and moral standard belonging to the Greek Orthodox Church are appointed by the Supreme Court among lawyers. If no ecclesiastical officer is appointed as above, the Supreme Court appoints the President of the Court as well.
b) For any other trial, or one judge as a law shall provide.
B. The divorce is maintainable only—
a) For the grounds, under the Charter of the Holy Church of Cyprus, as are in force at the date of Enactment by the House of Representatives, of the First Amendment of the Constitution Law of 1989, in so far as they are not inconsistent with the Constitution;
b) When the relations of the spouses have been so strongly shaken by a ground concerning the person of the defendant or of both spouses, which justifiably render continuation of the marital relation intolerable for the plaintiff; and
c) For any other ground that a law may provide after the views of the Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus are being heard.
3. Any matter relating to divorce, judicial separation or restitution of conjugal rights or to family relations of the members of a religious group for which the provisions of the third paragraph of section 2 apply, shall be cognizable by a family court for which a law shall determine its establishment, composition and jurisdiction, mutatis mutandis to the above.
4. Law shall provide for appeal against decisions of the family courts, for the composition of those who shall adjudicate and decide on these appeals and for the jurisdiction and powers of these appellate courts. A law enacted in accordance with the provisions of this paragraph may provide that the appellate court may be composed of one or more judges of the Supreme Court, sitting alone or together with another judge or other judges belonging to the judicial service of the Republic as the law may provide.
5. Notwithstanding the provisions of the first paragraph of this section, the free choice of a civil marriage is offered to the members of the Greek Community.
6. Nothing in paragraph 1 of this Article contained shall preclude the application of the provisions of paragraph 5 of Article 90 to the execution of any judgment or order of any such tribunal. (Art. 111) - Greek(1).-Τηρουμένων των διατάξεων του Συντάγματος παν ζήτημα των ανηκόντων εις την ελληνικήν ορθόδοξον Εκκλησίαν ή εις θρησκευτικήν ομάδα, δι’ ήν ισχύουσιν αι διατάξεις της τρίτης παραγράφου του άρθρου 2, σχέσιν έχον προς τον αρραβώνα, τον γάμον, το κύρος του γάμου, διέπεται από της ημερομηνίας της ενάρξεως της ισχύος του Συντάγματος υπό του εκκλησιαστικού νόμου της ελληνικής ορθοδόξου Εκκλησίας ή υπό του εκκλησιαστικού νόμου εκάστης θρησκευτικής ομάδος, αναλόγως της περιπτώσεως.
Νόμος θέλει προβλέψει περί της ενώπιον Επισκόπου αποπείρας συνδιαλλαγής ή της πνευματικής λύσης του γάμου.
(2).-Α. Παν ζήτημα των ανηκόντων εις την ελληνικήν ορθόδοξον Εκκλησίαν, σχέσιν έχον προς το διαζύγιον, τον χωρισμόν από κοίτης και τραπέζης ή την συνοίκησιν των συζύγων ή τας οικογενειακάς σχέσεις διαγιγνώσκεται υπό οικογενειακών δικαστηρίων έκαστον των οποίων σύγκειται:
(α) Εις την περί διαζυγίου δίκην εκ τριών δικαστών, ο είς των οποίων είναι αξιωματούχος κληρικός, νομομαθής διοριζόμενος υπό της ελληνικής ορθοδόξου Εκκλησίας και προεδρεύσει τούτου, οι δε έτεροι δύο επιλέγονται μεταξύ νομομαθών ανωτάτου επαγγελματικού και ηθικού επιπέδου ανηκόντων εις την υπό του Ανωτάτου Δικαστηρίου. Εις ην περίπτωσιν το Ανώτατον Δικαστήριον διορίζει και τον Πρόεδρον του Δικαστηρίου.
(β) Εις πάσαν άλλην δίκην εξ' ενός δικαστού ως νόμος θέλει ορίσει.
Β. Το διαζύγιον χωρεί μόνον-
(α) Διά τους εις το Καταστατικόν της Αγιωτάτης Εκκλησίας της Κύπρου λόγους ως ούτοι ισχύουν κατά την ημερομηνίαν ψηφίσεως υπό της Βουλής των Αντιπροσώπων του περί της Πρώτης Τροποποιήσεως του Συντάγματος Νόμου του 1989, εφ' όσον ούτοι δεν αντίκεινται προς το Σύνταγμα·
(β) όταν αι μεταξύ των συζύγων σχέσεις έχουν κλονισθή τόσον ισχυρώς από λόγον ο οποίος αφορά το ώστε βασίμως η εξακολούθησις της εγγάμου σχέσεως να είναι αφόρητος διά τον ενάγοντα· και
(γ) δι' οιονδήποτε έτερον λόγον ως νόμος θέλει ορίσει, αφού ακουσθώσιν αι απόψεις της ελληνικής ορθοδόξου Εκκλησίας της Κύπρου.
(3).- Παν ζήτημα των ανηκόντων εις θρησκευτικήν ομάδα δι' ην ισχύουσιν αι διατάξεις της τρίτης παραγράφου του άρθρου 2, σχέσιν έχον προς το διαζύγιον, τον χωρισμόν από κοίτης και τραπέζης ή την συνοίκησιν των συζύγων ή τας οικογενειακάς σχέσεις διαγιγνώσκεται υπό οικογενειακού δικαστηρίου, περί της ιδρύσεως, της συνθέσεως και της δικαιοδοσίας του οποίου νόμος θέλει ορίσει, τηρουμένων των αναλογιών προς τα ανωτέρω.
(4).- Νόμος θέλει προβλέψει περί της εφέσεως κατά των αποφάσεων των οικογενειακών δικαστηρίων, περί της συνθέσεως των δικαζόντων και αποφασιζόντων επί των εφέσεων τούτων, εκ και περί της δικαιοδοσίας και της εξουσίας των δευτεροβάθμιων τούτων δικαστηρίων. Νόμος συμφώνως ταις διατάξεσι της παρούσης παραγράφου δύναται να ορίση ότι το δευτεροβάθμιον δικαστήριον δύναται να απαρτίζηται εξ' ενός ή πλειόνων δικαστών του Ανωτάτου Δικαστηρίου, συνεδριαζόντων μόνων ή μετ' άλλου ή άλλων δικαστών της δικαστικής υπηρεσίας της Δημοκρατίας, ως ο νόμος θέλει ορίσει.
(5).- Ανεξαρτήτων των διατάξεων της πρώτης παραγράφου του παρόντος άρθρου εις τους ανήκοντας εις την Ελληνικήν Κοινότητα προσφέρεται η ελεύθερη επιλογή πολιτικού γάμου.
(6).-Ουδέν εκ των εν τη πρώτη παραγράφω του παρόντος άρθρου διαλαμβανομένων δύναται να παρεμποδίσει την εφαρμογήν των διατάξεων της πέμπτης παραγράφου του άρθρου 90 προκειμένης εκτελέσεως οιασδήποτε αποφάσεως ή διαταγής παντός εκκλησιαστικού δικαστηρίου. (Αρθρον 111) - Turkish1. Bu Anayasanın hükümleri saklı kalmak şartı ile, Rum-Ortodoks Kilisesi veya kendisine 2. Maddenin 3. fıkrası hükümleri uygulanan bir dini grup üyelerinin nişanlılık, evlenme, evliliğin iptaline dair herhangi bir konuya, bu Anayasanın yürürlüğe girdiği tarihte ve ondan sonra, durumuna göre, Rum-Ortodoks Kilisesinin veya söz konusu dini grubun Kilisesinin kanunu uygulanır. Evliliği dini açıdan bitirme veya barıştırma girişiminin bir Piskopos huzurunda gerçekleştirilmesini kanun temin eder.
2. A. Rum-Ortodoks Kilisesi üyelerinin boşanma, ayrılık veya evlilik haklarının iadesine ya da aile ilişkilerine dair herhangi bir konuya, her biri aşağıdakilerden müteşekkil aile mahkemeleri bakar:
a) Bir boşanma davası için, içlerinden biri Rum-Ortodoks Kilisesi tarafından atanan dini avukat görevlisi olan ve Mahkemeye başkanlık eden, Rum-Ortodoks Kilisesine ait yüksek uzmanlık ve ahlak standartlarına sahip diğer ikisi de avukatlar arasından yüksek Mahkeme tarafından atanan üç yargıç. Yukarıda belirtildiği gibi bir dini görevli atanmadıysa Yüksek Mahkeme, Mahkeme Başkanını da atar.
b) Diğer herhangi bir dava için, kanunun öngördüğü bir yargıç.
B. Boşanma ancak aşağıdaki durumlarda meşru olur:
a) Kutsal Kıbrıs Kilisesi Beyannamesi uyarınca, Anayasa ile tutarsız olmadıkları ölçüde, 1989 tarihli Anayasada yapılan Birinci Değişikliğe ilişkin Temsilciler Meclisinin Kararname tarihinde yürürlükte olan sebeplerle;
b) Eşlerin ilişkisi, davacı açısından evlilik ilişkisinin sürdürülmesini haklı olarak tahammül edilemez kılan, davalıyı veya her iki eşi de ilgilendiren bir sebeple temelinden sarsıldığında; ve
c) Kıbrıs Rum Ortodoks Kilisesinin görüşleri dinlendikten sonra bir kanunun ortaya koyabileceği başka herhangi bir sebeple.
3. 2. kısmın üçüncü fıkra hükümlerinin geçerli olduğu dini bir grubun üyelerinin boşanma, ayrılık veya evlilik haklarının iadesine ya da aile ilişkilerine dair herhangi bir konuya, kuruluşu, yapısı ve yargı yetkisi bir kanun tarafından belirlenecek olan ve yukarıdakinde gerekli değişiklikler yapılacak bir aile mahkemesi bakar.
4. Aile mahkemelerinin kararlarına karşı kanun yolları, söz konusu kanun yollarında karar verecek mahkemerin kuruluşu ve bu temyiz mahkemelerinin görev ve yetkileri kanunla belirlenir. Bu fıkranın hükümleri doğrultusunda konulan bir kanun, temyiz mahkemesinin, kanunların öngördüğü şekilde Cumhuriyetin yargı hizmetini gören başka bir yargıç veya yargıçlarla birlikte ya da tek başına duruşma yapan, Yüksek Mahkemenin bir veya daha fazla yargıcından müteşekkil olması için hükümler koyabilir.
5. Bu kısmın birinci fıkra hükümleri saklı kalmak kaydıyla, Rum Cemaati üyelerine medeni nikah için seçme hakkı sunulur.
6. Bu Maddenin 1. fıkrasında yer alan hiçbir şey, 90. Maddenin 5. fıkra hükümlerinin, böyle bir mahkemenin herhangi bir kararı veya emrinin icrasına uygulanmasını engellemez. (Madde 111)
1
Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus 1960, as amended to 2015 (English), available in HeinOnline World Constitutions Illustrated Library (2019). Consolidated version as amended to 2019 not publicly available. According to Art. 3(1): "The official languages of the Republic are Greek and Turkish.”
3
Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus 1960, as amended to 2019 (Turkish). In-house translation by UN Women (2020).
3
For all provisions on jurisdiction and access, refer to Articles 137-151.
4
Part II on Fundamental Rights and Liberties.
5
Part II on Fundamental Rights and Liberties.
6
Part II on Fundamental Rights and Liberties.
7
Part II on Fundamental Rights and Liberties.