Occupied Cyprus Project- History

Occupied Cyprus Project

Occupied Cyprus - Brief History

On Saturday July 20 1974, Turkey launched a brutal military invasion against defenseless Cyprus, and using more than 40,000 heavily armed troops captured 37% of the island.


American-made T-48 Turkish tank deployed at 6 mile point Kyrenia July 1974	Turkish invasion troops deployed after bombarding the coasts of Kyrenia.	Turkish invaders step food on holy land of Kyrenia.

The Turkish invasion and occupation of 37% of the island's territory as well as the continuing violation of the fundamental human rights of the people of Cyprus have been condemned by international bodies, such as the UN General Assembly, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Commonwealth, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and the Council of Europe.


Turkish soldiers heavily armed with American-supplied weapons.	Greek Cypriot own "Dome Hotel" in Kyrenia. Captured and turned into Turkish command post,and prison.	Turkish invaders, heavily armed with American-supplied weapons showing their flag.

In 1974 200,000 Greek Cypriots, 33% of the total Greek Cypriot population, were forced by the Turkish invading army to leave their homes and were turned overnight into refugees. Others were killed, or disappeared by Turkish militants.


Turkish brutal tactics included bombardment of civilian targets to spread terror and facilitate ethnic cleansing.	Turkish barbarism against Greeks and Christianity extends beyond the living. Even the dead do not spear from the wrath of Turkish brutality and barbarism.	Holy Symbols of Christianity are destroyed, smaggled, and sold in foreign markets. Looting ancient Greek and Greek Orthodox treasures is a "normal phenomenon" in the occupied areas of Cyprus.

For the last 28 years these refugees have been denied one of the most basic of human rights, the RIGHT of RETURN and SETTLEMENT to their paternal homes, and the right to OWN and USE their properties.


Due to the July 20 1974 Turkish invasion, 1619 Greek Cypriots were reported as missing. For 1588 of them, their fortune is still unknown.	200,000 Greek Cypriots, a third of the total population, became refugees overnight, in their own country.

We Demand TURKISH TROOPS AND SETTLERS OUT OF CYPRUS, AND RETURN OF ALL REFUGEES BACK TO THEIR HOMES.

We demand Justice and Re-unification of Cyprus.

Christos A. Neophytou