Parents of Ayia Napa murdered victim blame Cyprus

The parents of George Low, the 22-year-old Briton who was stabbed to death in Ayia Napa two years ago, say the killers of their son walk free because north and south in divided Cyprus don’t cooperate.

Low was knifed in Ayia Napa in August 2016 after an altercation he had with two men, 24-year-old Turkish national Mehmet Akpinar and 44-year-old Bulgarian national Sali Ahmet.

Parents Martyn and Helen Low recently spoke with Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis, expressing their utter frustration with state authorities in the Republic of Cyprus but also Turkish Cypriot officials in the north.

“If north and south were united, the perpetrators would have been punished,” Low’s parents said.

But Akpinar served a three month sentence over an entry violation in the north, while Sali did about a year in prison before being released.

“All they want is for justice to be served and the killers of their child be prosecuted instead of living the good life,” they told Havadis.

Stabbed in the middle of the street

Low, who was in the real estate business and had business connections in Ayia Napa, reportedly had an argument over a urinating incident with the two suspects. After the verbal confrontation, Akpinar and Ahmet returned 10 minutes later with one of them holding a knife.

The suspects attacked the two victims, stabbing Low in the neck and wounding Barker on the back.

The two suspects, who were initially misidentified as local Turkish Cypriots, had no connection or familiarity with the victims according to reports. They quickly emerged as suspects but had already managed to escape to the north of the divided island after getting help from a 50-year-old Greek Cypriot woman, who was dating the 24-year-old in the south at the time.

North and south not cooperating

Turkish Cypriot officials have asked for the evidence against Akpinar and Sali to be handed over, so that the two suspects could be tried in a Turkish Cypriot court in the north.

But Greek Cypriots insisted that the two suspects be handed over to face trial in the Republic of Cyprus, as the crime took place in the south. However, the north is not recognised as a state except by Turkey and does not have any extradition agreements.

This is little consolation to Low’s mother, who said her son was not a racist and simply got offended and told people off when he saw them relieving themselves out in public.

"He didn't desreve to die," she said. 

Low’s parents said their son was raised to have respect for his fellow human beings, adding that his murder serves as a reminder to all that humanity has changed.

They have faced several health issues since the tragic death of their son and remain bitter with both sides of the divided island over the inability by authorities to work together and bring people to justice.