SELÇUK AND ASKER JUDGMENT OF 24 APRIL 1998 23 96. The Court considers that the nature and gravity of the violations complained of in the instant case under Articles 3 and 8 of the Convention and Article 1 of the Protocol No. 1 have implications for Article 13. It recalls that where an individual has an arguable claim that his or her home and possessions have been purposely destroyed by agents of the State, the notion of an “effective remedy” entails, in addition to the payment of compensation where appropriate and without prejudice to any other remedy available in the domestic system, an obligation on the respondent State to carry out a thorough and effective investigation capable of leading to the identification and punishment of those responsible and including effective access for the complainant to the investigative procedure (see the abovementioned Menteş and Others judgment, p. 2715, § 89). 97. As already stated, the Court accepts that Mr Asker presented a petition of complaint to the District Governor shortly after the destruction of his house (see paragraphs 31 and 57 above). However, it was not until the Commission’s communication of the applications to the respondent Government that the Kulp public prosecutor instigated a criminal investigation at the request of the Ministry of Justice (see paragraphs 21–22 above). The Court finds it striking that CO Cömert was not interviewed during the course of this investigation, despite the fact that the applicants had clearly named him as the officer in charge of the impugned operation in İslamköy. Furthermore, apart from the statements taken from the applicants, it does not appear that any attempt was made to establish the truth through questioning other villagers who might have witnessed the events under consideration. In November 1994 jurisdiction over the investigation was transferred to the Kulp Administrative Council (see paragraph 25 above). Over three years later, the Court has not been provided with any evidence to suggest that the latter body has taken any action in connection with it. 98. In these circumstances, it cannot be said that the respondent State has carried out a thorough and effective investigation as required by Article 13. The Court therefore finds this provision to have been violated. E. Alleged violations of Article 14 of the Convention in conjunction with Articles 6, 8 and 13 of the Convention and Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 and of Article 18 of the Convention 99. The applicants maintained that, because of their Kurdish origin, they had been subjected to discrimination in breach of Article 14 of the Convention, in conjunction with Articles 6, 8 and 13 of the Convention and Article 1 of Protocol No. 1. Article 14 reads: