ELCI AND OTHERS v. TURKEY JUDGMENT 96 cited judgments: Akdivar and Others v. Turkey, p. 1211, § 69; Aksoy v. Turkey, p. 2276, §§ 53 and 54; Şarli v. Turkey, § 60). 606. The Court notes that Turkish law provided administrative, civil and criminal remedies against illegal and criminal acts attributable to the State or its agents (see paragraphs 574-581, 583, 587-588 and 590-595 above). However, it also observes that the applicants put their complaints clearly to Prosecutor Haney (paragraphs 504-507 above), Judge Ural (paragraphs 508530 above) and the State Security Court (paragraphs 538-541 above). Yet none of these authorities investigated the applicants' allegations. The Court recalls the Commission's decision on admissibility of 2 December 1996 and its comment that “it should have been a matter of considerable concern to the judicial authorities that a large number of lawyers - members of the Bar - complained of having been subjected, almost at the same time, to such [illtreatment] during their detention.” 607. In these circumstances, the Court considers that the applicants were not required to embark on other attempts to obtain redress, such as damage or compensation claims under administrative or civil law (cf. Assenov and others v. Bulgaria, judgment of 28 October 1998, Reports 1998-VIII, p. 3286, § 86). 608. Consequently, the Court rejects the Government's preliminary objection of non-exhaustion. 609. As to the Government's plea that the case is manifestly ill-founded, the Court finds no basis in the evidence presented on which to review further the Commission's decision or now reject the application under Article 35 § 4 of the Convention in fine. It will consider these arguments of the Government as being addressed to the merits of the case and to the question whether there has been a violation of the Convention in the present case. 610. Accordingly, the Court rejects the Government's preliminary objections as to the admissibility of the applications. II. ALLEGED VIOLATION OF ARTICLE 3 OF THE CONVENTION A. Submissions of the parties 1. The applicants 611. Nine of the applicants contended that they had suffered illtreatment contrary to Article 3 of the Convention, which provides as follows: “No one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”