Newsroom
A Cypriot court on Monday rejected a request to release Israeli businessman Shimon Aykut from custody, ruling that local medical services are sufficient to address his health concerns.
Aykut, 75, is facing serious charges linked to the unlawful sale of Greek Cypriot-owned land in the Turkish-occupied north of the island. His legal team had asked the court to allow him to travel abroad for medical reasons, claiming he needs specialized diagnostic tests not available in Cyprus.
But the Nicosia Criminal Court found the argument unconvincing.
Judge Christiana Parpota said the defense failed to prove that tests available in Cyprus were inadequate. She noted that three diagnostic methods were accessible locally, and there was no clear evidence to show they were inferior to the robotic diagnostic method Aykut’s lawyers said he required.
The court emphasized that just because a particular type of diagnostic tool isn’t offered in Cyprus, that alone doesn’t justify release, especially in the absence of proof that it would offer better results than what’s already available on the island.
Background
Aykut is at the center of a high-profile criminal case involving alleged illegal real estate sales in northern occupied Cyprus. In a video interview aired on Turkey’s NTV last December, the businessman defended his company’s activities, claiming they had sold 3,500 homes, most in the Trikomo area, including 105 properties to Israeli nationals.
He denied allegations that the sales involved unlawfully acquired Greek Cypriot land, calling such claims defamatory and unfounded.
The video was submitted as evidence in court, with a translator confirming its content for police investigators. Authorities also presented testimony from law enforcement officials who handled evidence collection and digital forensics.
Aykut, who holds dual citizenship in Turkey and the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, has maintained he does not operate any businesses in Israel.
