Savvas Soudjis, brother of Andreas Soudjis, a Greek Cypriot who is illegally detained in the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus, said on Thursday that he is happy since there is no espionage case and no serious charge.
Speaking outside the “military court” in Turkish occupied Nicosia, where he went to support his brother, Savvas Soudjis expressed the hope that “in a week he will be with us again. I think we’re close to the end.”
Andreas Soudjis’ friend, Andreas Paralikis, told CNA that he is happy “because it seems that we are nearing the end of this process. We hope that the final decision will be made.” There might be some fine, he added, which must be paid to free Andreas.
Andreas Soudjis is accused and targeted as a spy in all the [Turkish Cypriot] media for days, which shows us how important the presumption of innocence really is, Andreas’ friend and member of UniteCyprusNow, Kemal Baikal told CNA, adding that some things must be taken into account in terms of journalistic ethics.
Saying that Soudjis had in his possession a mobile phone, maps, photos and some audio data, he noted that everyone has such data on their phones and said that in the “north” there is always the possibility that someone for example takes a selfie and behind him there is a military area. This means, he said, that all of us could commit this “offence”.
Baikali said that every day thousands of people pass through the crossing points and that the lack of a solution of the Cyprus problem demonstrates that there is a dead-end in such cases and that anything can happen at any moment. He said that establishing good relations does not harm anyone, adding that “strolling or hanging out with your friends shouldn’t be tried”.
Murat Kanatli, member of the Turkish Cypriot New Cyprus party and a friend of Andreas Soudjis told CNA that they are following the case with concern, saying that “it is already known that the “country” is already a military zone, by decision of the “council of ministers”, which has not declassified Varosha as a military area”.
He continued by saying that when one enters Varosha which is done with a permit, you can take pictures, but if you do it outside it is a crime. In such an abnormal situation, he added, considering as a crime taking a photo in a place where one is, is an anomaly.
It is obvious, he said, that that there was no bad intention on the part of Andreas Soudjis not even regarding the radio he possessed. “We do not understand and do not accept this stubbornness. This is bullying for bicommunal relations. This situation is not acceptable. Our most serious concern is the way this is portrayed in the press, especially in some media-tools in Turkey.”
His Turkish Cypriot lawyer, Odgel Polili, said that the “police” investigation has been completed and the charges in the “military court” are the possession of five photos of military areas, adding that there is no charge of espionage.
Soudjis will remain in the “central prison” for a period of no more than seven days until he is charged and the so called trial in the case against him begins, a “military court” in the Turkish occupied areas ruled on Thursday.
He appeared before the “court” after the expiration of the last eight-day “detention order” issued against him on September 7.
The “military court” is examining the “charge” of photographing of military areas in the occupied areas.
Outside the “court” in occupied Nicosia there were relatives and friends of Andreas Soudjis.
The “charge” of possessing a radio without a licence was not examined on Thursday, but is expected to be tried by the Trikomo “district court”.
Source: Cyprus News Agency