Newsroom / CNA
In a press briefing held by the European Parliament Office in Cyprus, Cypriot MEP Loukas Fourlas (EPP) announced that the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee (FEMM) of the European Parliament will visit Cyprus in May to give a platform to women who suffered during the 1974 Turkish invasion.
The event brought to light the longstanding silence surrounding the atrocities committed against Cypriot women, including widespread sexual violence and executions by Turkish soldiers. Over 800 women were raped, and many others were killed or went missing. These women, many of whom lost husbands, children, or endured torture, have remained voiceless for decades.
Fourlas emphasized that the goal of the visit is to document the survivors' testimonies and bring attention to the crimes at the European level, calling for recognition, justice, and accountability. He expressed the need for Europe to acknowledge these women's suffering, stating that it is time to break the silence that has endured for 50 years.
With the upcoming visit, Fourlas seeks to expose these dark chapters of Cyprus's history and ensure that these women are not forgotten. "They are wives, daughters, mothers, grandmothers," he stressed. "It’s time for the truth to be heard."
