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The Cyprus government on Thursday strongly condemned the decision by Turkish Cypriot authorities to keep a Greek Cypriot couple in custody for three more months, calling it a “premeditated abduction” and a blow to ongoing efforts to rebuild trust on the divided island.
The couple is part of a group of five Greek Cypriots who were arrested on July 19 while visiting property they own in the occupied village of Gastria. Authorities in the north claim the five entered a military zone and possessed private documents, but Nicosia says it’s a politically driven move meant to intimidate.
“This is not justice; it’s a staged trial,” said Victor Papadopoulos, Director of the Office of the President, in a written statement. “These abductions are part of a well-planned tactic by the Turkish Cypriot leadership, completely at odds with the UN Secretary-General’s call to build a climate of trust.”
Detention extended over "blue folder"
The couple appeared Thursday before the Turkish Cypriot “district court” in Trikomo, which ordered their continued detention for another three months. Authorities say they need time to investigate the contents of a blue folder the couple was carrying, reportedly containing a list of 14 individuals, sent via email by a real estate agent, related to ownership of properties built on the couple’s pre-1974 land.
The Turkish Cypriot “police” claimed the documents violated personal data laws and suggested more charges could emerge after they comb through some 4,000 email messages. Defense lawyers pushed back, saying the folder included no official documents, and questioned how receiving an email could amount to a crime.
“Since when does a blue folder disturb the peace?” the defense asked, with one lawyer jokingly adding, “Would it have been less disturbing if it were red?”
Former Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci criticized the recent detention of five Greek Cypriots, calling it an act of retaliation. In a social media statement, Akinci described the incident as following an "eye for an eye" logic, suggesting it was a response to the arrest of a Turkish Cypriot contractor in the Republic.
Bail denied despite local support
The court also rejected bail offers, even though prominent Turkish Cypriot peace activists Sener Elcil and Tefik Yoldas offered to act as guarantors and put up their personal assets to secure the couple’s release. The court dismissed them because they did not personally know the defendants.
Veteran Turkish Cypriot lawyer and activist Mine Atli, who observed the hearing, took to social media afterward, describing the entire process as "a political theater" and warning that such actions could have “very serious negative consequences” for society.
Government outrage
The Republic of Cyprus is treating the matter as a serious political incident. The government says it’s making formal complaints to the United Nations, the European Union, and members of the UN Security Council, calling for immediate international intervention.
“These are EU citizens visiting their own property,” Papadopoulos said. “Instead of respecting their legal rights, the occupying regime has chosen to jail them, and all to scare others from doing the same.”
He added that the detained couple had already filed a claim years ago with the Turkish Cypriot “compensation commission” for use of their property, proving their legal connection to the land in question.
Back to court today
All five Greek Cypriots are facing charges of entering a military zone and disturbing the peace. The remaining three, who were not part of Thursday’s hearing, are expected to appear before a Turkish Cypriot “military court” today, Friday, when a decision will be made on whether their detention will also be extended.
As the political and legal drama unfolds, many in the Greek Cypriot community, and some Turkish Cypriots, see the arrests as a calculated escalation at a time when hopes were cautiously rising for renewed peace talks.
