Newsroom
Cyprus is preparing a formal protest after a French court refused to extradite an Iranian man accused of seizing Greek Cypriot property in the occupied north, a decision that has stirred political tensions and legal alarm.
Behnadt Jafari, 39, who lived in Nice, France, was arrested at the city’s airport on October 14 under a European arrest warrant issued by Cyprus. Authorities in Nicosia requested his extradition, but Jafari objected, triggering a review by the French legal system.
According to Turkish Cypriot media, the Court of Appeal in Provence ruled it could not hand him over, claiming that EU law does not apply in areas outside effective control of the Republic of Cyprus, namely, the occupied north.
Cyprus’ Legal Service has slammed the ruling as incorrect and has briefed the Justice Ministry on steps to challenge it. Efforts to obtain the official reasoning behind the court’s decision have so far failed, and no French media outlets have reported on it, leaving the matter publicly confirmed only via Turkish Cypriot sources.
Experts point out glaring problems with the judgment. French judges appear unaware of prior EU case law, including the Apostolides case, which established that:
- Occupied areas remain EU territory,
- Suspension of EU law affects only enforcement, not the status of the land, and
- Decisions from the Republic of Cyprus can be recognized and enforced in other EU countries, even for property in the occupied north.
Meanwhile, Jafari has reportedly moved to the occupied areas via Istanbul, effectively avoiding European jurisdiction. Turkish Cypriot media have celebrated the decision as a potential legal precedent for other property disputes, prompting Cyprus to plan an appeal.
Even if the ruling is overturned, sources warn that unless Jafari travels to EU territory again, any new European arrest warrant could go unexecuted, leaving him free despite his alleged property grabs.
