Nicosia: Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides has dispatched a letter to the leaders of the European Parliament, the European Commission, and the European Council, voicing serious concerns regarding the intensifying persecution of Turkish Cypriot journalist Sener Levent by Turkey.
According to Cyprus News Agency, President Christodoulides emphasized in his letter that this persecution is a clear breach of freedom of expression, as outlined in Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The letter suggests that this is part of a larger effort to suppress independent voices within the Turkish Cypriot community and to extend Ankara’s influence over the Turkish-occupied territories. The letter also stresses that Turkish Cypriots, as citizens of both the Republic of Cyprus and the European Union, should be guaranteed full protection of their fundamental rights.
The sources further revealed that the President has urged EU institutions to keep a close watch on Levent’s case and to take action to safeguard his rights. Levent, who was honored with the European Parliament’s European Citizen’s Prize in 2018, should be defended, and any advancement in EU-Turkey relations should be closely tied to adherence to human rights and the rule of law, particularly in the occupied regions of Cyprus.
President Christodoulides also called on the European Union to utilize all available resources to compel Turkey to cease such actions and to foster conditions conducive to a comprehensive resolution of the Cyprus issue, with a focus on respecting the human rights of all citizens.
According to the same information, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has sent comparable letters to the EU High Representative and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. Additional letters are to be sent to the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media.