Newsroom
Cyprus is mourning the loss of Turkish Cypriot journalist, writer, and activist Sevgül Uludağ, who has died at the age of 68, a figure widely respected across both communities for her lifelong work on one of the island’s most painful issues: the missing persons of the Cyprus conflict.
President Nikos Christodoulides led tributes on Sunday, describing her as a voice of sensitivity and dedication who consistently highlighted the human tragedy behind the island’s divided history.
Uludağ spent decades investigating and writing about the fate of people who went missing during the events of 1974, often working to bring forward stories that families on both sides of the divide had been waiting years, sometimes decades, to hear.
Beyond her work on missing persons, she was also known for advocating dialogue and peaceful coexistence between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, often stressing the importance of a shared future on the island.
In his statement, the president said Uludağ’s work stood out for its humanity and persistence, adding that she worked for a “free homeland” where communities could live together without division.
Her passing has prompted messages of condolence from journalists, activists, and citizens across Cyprus, many of whom see her as one of the rare voices who consistently tried to build bridges in a deeply divided landscape.
For many on the island, whether Greek-speaking or Turkish-speaking, the issue of missing persons remains one of the most emotional and unresolved chapters of modern Cypriot history. Uludağ’s work brought attention to those families still searching for answers, helping ensure their stories were not forgotten.
President Christodoulides extended condolences to her family, friends, and colleagues, acknowledging her contribution not only to journalism but also to the broader effort of reconciliation and understanding on the island.
As Cyprus continues to grapple with its past, Sevgül Uludağ is being remembered as someone who insisted that behind every statistic there was a human story and that those stories deserved to be heard on both sides of the divide.
