Newsroom
The two 19-year-olds who were detained by authorities in the occupied north after crossing into the area without completing the required checkpoint procedures have been released after each was fined 500 Turkish lira (around €9.40).
The young man and woman appeared before a military court in the occupied part of Nicosia on Thursday, four days after they were arrested while trying to leave the north through the Astromeritis crossing.
They admitted the charges of entering the occupied areas without undergoing the required checkpoint inspection and entering what the Turkish Cypriot authorities consider a military zone.
According to reports from the occupied north, the pair had crossed from the free areas earlier that day through the Pyrgos Tyllirias crossing.
Their Turkish Cypriot lawyer told the court it was the first time the teenagers had traveled to the occupied north on their own and were unfamiliar with the crossing procedure. He said they saw the car in front of them drive off from the checkpoint and assumed they could continue without stopping for inspection.
The lawyer argued they had no intention of breaking any rules and had fully cooperated with authorities after their arrest by giving voluntary statements. He also pointed to similar incidents that had occurred in the past at crossing points.
The military court found both teenagers guilty but accepted that the incident appeared to be the result of carelessness rather than a deliberate attempt to violate the rules.
The judge said the charges were serious but noted that the circumstances had to be taken into account. He said it was clear the pair had made a mistake, pointing out that they later tried to leave through the Astromeritis crossing rather than attempting to avoid the checkpoints altogether.
Instead of imposing a prison sentence, the court ordered each of them to pay a 500 Turkish lira fine, equivalent to about €9.40.
Following the hearing, both teenagers were released and were expected to return to the government-controlled areas later the same day.
The case has drawn attention in Cyprus because thousands of people cross between the two sides every day, and while the process is usually straightforward, visitors are still expected to follow the checkpoint procedures set by the authorities on each side.
