6.  The applicant was born in 1984 and lives in İzmir. 7.  On 26 June 2002 the applicant, together with a friend of his, quarrelled with a man in a park. The quarrel had turned into a fight and the applicant stabbed the man in his left leg.
The police and the public prosecutor took the statements of the parties, including the applicant. The applicant denied having injured the man. Following their questioning, they were all released. 8.  On 3 July 2002 the Public Prosecutor at the İzmir Magistrates' Court filed an indictment against the applicant, on account of assault with a knife and occasioning actual bodily harm. The indictment was not notified to the applicant. 9.  After having examined the case file, on 17 July 2002 the İzmir Magistrates' Court issued a penal order, convicting the applicant and sentencing him to pay 290,805,465 Turkish liras (TRL). 10.  On 30 August 2002 the penal order was notified to the applicant. 11.  On 6 September 2002 the applicant challenged the decision of the İzmir Magistrate's Court, before the İzmir Criminal Court of First Instance. He argued that he had been deprived of his right of defence in violation of Article 6 of the Convention. 12.  On 11 September 2002 the İzmir Criminal Court of First Instance upheld the decision of the Magistrate's Court, maintaining that it was in accordance with the law and procedure. 13.  On 25 September 2002 the İzmir Public Prosecutor issued a payment order under which the applicant was obliged to pay the relevant amount. He was warned that in case he failed to pay the due amount, the fine would be converted into prison sentence. 14.  The applicant paid the relevant charge on 26 November 2002.