Letter to International Press Associations on threats against Turkish Cypriot journalists

October 9, 2003

I communicate with you once again, in order to alert you about the continuing policy of harassment by the Turkish occupation forces against members of the Turkish Cypriot Press, in particular against the daily newspaper ‘AFRIKA’ and its journalists Sener Levent and Ali Osman. The culmination of this policy were threats against the lives of these two journalists carried out by Hasan Kesin, one of the leaders of the ‘Grey Wolves’ in Cyprus . The threats were made on October 2,  through an article in the ‘Volkan’ newspaper, calling for the execution of the two above-mentioned journalists.

This is not the first time that this particular paper and its reporters came under attack by the illegal regime in the occupied part of Cyprus , simply because through their writings they promote a peaceful solution to the Cyprus problem and the reunification of the country. The appearance of extremist elements and their effort to extinguish any Turkish Cypriot who sees his future in a reunited Cyprus member of the EU, is not unrelated to the long-held policy of Turkey to keep that part of the island under its military and political hegemony. It is not coincidental that these fascist methods are employed at a time when the Turkish Cypriot community will be called to the ballots to decide about its future leadership. The choice before them is between the forces of partition or the supporters of one reunited country, member of the EU.

The Cyprus Government strongly condemned these acts of harassment and appealed to all relevant international bodies for their intervention in order to secure respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms in occupied Cyprus .  We hope that your prestigious organization will also raise awareness that this kind of behaviour cannot and will not be tolerated by the civilized society and demand that freedom of the press and speech of the Turkish Cypriots will be upheld and protected.

Cyprus Press Office

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