Foreign Ministry in contact with UN over GC arrests in north
The Foreign Ministry is in contact with the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus (Unficyp) regarding the reported detention of five Greek Cypriots in the north, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Theodoros Gotsis confirmed to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) on Sunday.
According to reports, the five individuals—refugees from the 1974 Turkish invasion—had crossed into the north to visit the occupied town of Trikomo on Saturday.
They were expected to appear before a court in the north at around noon on Sunday.
The court decided to remand the five for three days.
The five individuals—three men and two women, all around the age of 60—were arrested on Saturday afternoon after allegedly crossing into the north through the Strovilia area “without completing the necessary procedures” at the crossing point, according to the breakaway regime’s news agency, TAK.
The main driver, a 66-year-old man, is said to have entered the north at approximately 4pm in his vehicle, “violating the forbidden zone,” the report said.
Authorities in the north also claim that a large number of documents were found in the vehicle, including a map, though no further details have been released about the contents or nature of the documents.
The group was brought before a “court” in occupied Famagusta on Sunday and ordered to remain in custody for three days while the so-called police continue their investigation.