They protect usurpers with mafia-like methods
Source: in-cyprus.com
People with properties in the occupied areas are filing complaints against those illegally exploiting their properties. Why after fifty-one years? Although these complaints should have been made earlier, in the first years after the invasion, they now connect with occupying Turkey’s insistence on a two-state solution.
Property owners, considering Turkish persistence and believing prospects for returning to their land are diminishing, are filing complaints with Police and the Law Office.
Property rights have no expiry date. They are neither suspended nor removed. This is stated not only in the Republic of Cyprus constitution (Article 23), but also in international law.
It is included in European Court decisions and described in United Nations principles. However many years pass, property rights are not erased.
Turkey has been condemned in the European Court on this issue, and this cannot be downgraded. Illegal seizure and exploitation of properties does not create law. No such act is legitimised.
Consequently, prosecutions of usurpers have begun and will continue as long as illegal property exploitation remains “permanent activity” in occupied Cyprus. As is known, after the invasion the occupation regime “distributed” Greek Cypriot properties to Turkish Cypriots (according to what property they had in free areas). Subsequently, properties were given to settlers.
These properties, despite whatever “certificates” were given to “users,” belong to real owners. This reality cannot change, nor can any agreement reached survive if legitimate owners’ rights are not considered. The latter therefore have legal interest in reporting usurpers and pursuing criminal prosecutions.
On the opposite shore, occupying Turkey—never comfortable with Greek Cypriot property issues—attempts through distraction and retaliation to break this prosecution process.
It must be noted that Turkey does not fundamentally dispute that properties belong to Greek Cypriots. This is evident from compensating and attempting to purchase properties from Greek Cypriots.
However, since an occupying power has no relation to international law, it employs other methods to confront legal procedures before justice, such as those progressing in the Republic of Cyprus. It employs mafia-like, terrorist methods.
They abducted five Greek Cypriots who went to occupied areas to visit their properties. They abducted them without reason and torment them in occupied area prisons.
One couple, as mentioned, had submitted an application to the so-called Compensation Committee and was gathering evidence accordingly. This was deemed “espionage”.
All five have been “charged” with entering a “military area”. There is the claim they showed no identity upon entering occupied areas. They showed identity, but coincidentally at that moment, security cameras were not working (or the image was unclear) and this was not recorded.
Fabricated stories to arrest them. They did not target these specific individuals—they happened to be there and were abducted. Obviously they will continue this kidnapping tactic, believing they can blackmail the Republic of Cyprus this way. What they will likely achieve is creating insecurity among Greek Cypriots visiting occupied areas.
The solution, as stated, is resolving the Cyprus issue. However, a solution that fully safeguards owners’ rights—not legitimising the user or usurper. A solution ensuring only the owner has the first say.
The original article: belongs to in-cyprus.com .
