Pavlos Xanthoulis
A United Nations anti-racism committee has issued a series of sharp recommendations and criticisms toward Cyprus, expressing concern over what it described as obstacles faced by Turkish Cypriots in accessing equal rights compared to Greek Cypriots.
In conclusions issued by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the committee raised concerns ranging from citizenship rights and access to public services to language barriers, hate speech and the treatment of migrant workers.
The report is likely to reignite politically sensitive debates in Cyprus surrounding the island’s division, relations between the two communities, and how the state balances human rights obligations with the realities of the ongoing Turkish occupation of the north.
Among the committee’s strongest concerns were reports that children of Turkish Cypriots from mixed marriages face significant difficulties obtaining Cypriot citizenship.
The committee urged the Republic of Cyprus to ensure “non-discriminatory access to citizenship in practice" while also calling for better representation of Turkish Cypriots in public institutions, including the civil service, police and judiciary.
It further expressed concern over what it described as unequal access to healthcare, employment, public broadcasting, sports and cultural life.
The committee also criticized what it called the “limited practical use” of the Turkish language in public administration and education, despite Turkish being an official language of the Republic of Cyprus.
It recommended that Cyprus “eliminate discriminatory language barriers” and ensure more effective use of Turkish in government services and schools.
The conclusions followed a nearly six-hour hearing in April, during which committee members raised a series of criticisms toward Nicosia.
Much of the questioning focused on the so-called “isolation” of the Turkish Cypriot community and called for greater “flexibility” from the Republic of Cyprus, comments that Cypriot officials viewed as overlooking the realities of the 1974 Turkish invasion and the island’s continued division.
Cypriot authorities responded by repeatedly stressing what they described as the “obvious realities” stemming from Turkey’s occupation of the north, arguing the government cannot exercise effective control in the occupied areas and therefore cannot fully implement human rights mechanisms there.
The Foreign Ministry also pointed to the operation of crossing points under the Green Line Regulation, stressing that the line is not an external EU border but a temporary arrangement pending a settlement of the Cyprus problem.
At the same time, the committee questioned restrictions affecting movement across the divide, particularly for people holding Turkish documents rather than Republic of Cyprus or EU identification.
The report also addressed broader social issues affecting Cyprus today, including xenophobia and hate speech.
The committee said existing measures to combat hate speech were insufficient, particularly online and on social media, and voiced concern over what it described as xenophobic rhetoric directed at Turkish Cypriots, migrants, Muslims and people of African descent.
Some groups, it said, are often portrayed as threats to jobs, demographics, culture or religion. It also referred to the alleged use of xenophobia as a political tool, including by members of parliament.
The committee urged Cyprus to strengthen monitoring and removal of racist online content and improve training for police, prosecutors and judges dealing with hate crimes.
Another major issue highlighted was the treatment of migrant workers, particularly domestic workers and low-paid laborers.
The committee expressed concern over reports of exploitation, unpaid wages, excessive working hours, confiscation of identity documents and poor living conditions.
It also warned that tying residency permits to a single employer can leave migrant workers vulnerable to abuse and reluctant to seek legal help out of fear of deportation or retaliation.
Cypriot authorities defended the country’s framework during the hearing, saying government services are available in Greek, Turkish and English, and noting that citizen service centers employ Turkish-speaking staff.
Nicosia also stressed that public service examinations are open to all citizens who meet the criteria, while exams for the diplomatic service are available in Turkish for Turkish Cypriot applicants.
The government further reiterated its longstanding position that entry into Cyprus through ports and airports in the occupied north remains illegal under the Republic’s laws, citing UN Security Council resolutions and European Court of Human Rights rulings recognizing the occupied areas as being under Turkey’s control.
