Nicosia: The Republic of Cyprus is considering taking legal action at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) level over the illegal detention of five Greek Cypriot citizens by the Turkish occupying regime, according to a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the Ministry condemned the ongoing illegal, provocative, and inhumane detention by the Turkish occupying forces, emphasizing the severity of the situation. The Ministry highlighted the occupying regime’s disregard for legal norms and its attempts to escalate intimidation through kidnapping and hostage-taking. This action appears to be aimed at influencing and targeting individuals who seek recourse through the compensation committee in the occupied territories.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has actively filed complaints, demarches, and representations at the United Nations and within the EU framework. It is also engaging with third states to end the illegal detention of the five Greek Cypriot citizens. The Ministry stated its efforts would be intensified to address the situation.
Given the ongoing violations of justice, Cyprus is exploring possible legal actions against Turkey, including proceedings before the ECHR. This step reflects the gravity of the situation and the need for international legal intervention.
The five Greek Cypriots were detained almost a month ago after crossing into the Turkish-occupied part of the island. Cyprus remains divided since 1974, following Turkey’s invasion and subsequent occupation of the northern third of the island. Efforts to resolve the conflict through UN-led peace talks have yet to succeed, with the last negotiations ending inconclusively in July 2017 at Crans-Montana, Switzerland.