4.  The applicant was born in 1977 and lives in İzmir. 5.  On 26 March 1997 the applicant was arrested and taken into custody. He was accused of having thrown a Molotov cocktail at a building. He was remanded in custody on 27 March 1997. 6.  On 2 April 1997 the İzmir public prosecutor filed a bill of indictment with the İzmir Assize Court, accusing the applicant of extortion and of preparing a bomb. He requested that the applicant be convicted and sentenced under Articles 495 § 1 and 264 § 6 of the Criminal Code. 7.  On 18 September 1997 the applicant was released pending trial. 8.  On 28 June 1999 the İzmir Assize Court convicted the applicant as charged and sentenced him, in total, to six years, eleven months and ten days’ imprisonment, and to a fine. 9.  On 7 May 2001, the principal public prosecutor at the Court of Cassation submitted his written opinion to the latter. He considered that the judgment of the first-instance court should be upheld. This opinion was not communicated to the applicant. 10.  On 26 September 2001 the Court of Cassation held a hearing and upheld the judgment of the first-instance court. 11.  On 24 October 2007 the President of the 6th Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation informed the Court of Cassation that, in accordance with domestic law, the principal public prosecutor was not present at the deliberations of the Chamber.