Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 96-08-23

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" <dist@hri.org>

CONTENTS

[01] UN Chief's envoy to visit Cyprus

[02] Turkish Cypriot journalist murdered to block testimony

[03] Police inquiries into demonstrators' murders continue

1140:CYPPRESS:01

[01] UN Chief's envoy to visit Cyprus

The South Korean diplomat will hold talks with Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

Waldemar Rokoszewski, Spokesman for the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), told CNA that, during his stay on the island, Professor Han would have a series of meetings with both sides, including meetings with the leaders of the two communities.

The UN envoy is expected to try to revive a stalled peace dialogue on the Cyprus problem.

Han's visit will follow the killings by Turks of two Greek Cypriot youths and the wounding of several others, including two British UN peacekeepers, during peaceful anti-occupation demonstrations in the UN-controlled buffer zone, last week.

Immediately after the incidents, the UN have launched a campaign with UN Resident Representative Gustave Feissel shuttling between President Clerides, in the free areas, and Denktash, in the occupied areas, in a bid to defuse tension.

Turkish troops have been occupying 37 per cent of Cyprus territory since 1974, in violation of repeated UN resolutions calling for their withdrawal.

CNA GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1415:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Turkish Cypriot journalist murdered to block testimony

Professor Claire Palley, British Constitutional Law expert and adviser to the Cyprus government, is quoted by the paper as saying Adali was killed ''after it became obvious he would have been a witness'' in the case of Cyprus v Turkey.

The European Human Rights Commission declared the Cyprus application against Turkey admissible, just six days before the murder of Adali, whose writings had been extensively quoted during the proceedings and had a considerable influence on the result, Palley said.

The Cyprus application, the fourth, against Turkey cites the effects of the continuation of the Turkish military occupation on human rights.

Adali had served as the officer in charge of the census board operated by the self-proclaimed so-called Turkish Cypriot ''state'', before he broke with Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash to turn to journalism. He wrote a regular column in the opposition Turkish Cypriot daily ''Yeni Duzen''.

Palley said Adali ''proved Turkey's colonisation of Cyprus... compelling Turkish Cypriots to emigrate, while a terrorist organisation, with long associations with the Turkish military, claimed responsibility for his murder'', the Cypriot weekly paper reported.

She added that Turkey had an obligation to protect all the people in the territory it is occupying, but failed to actively conduct investigations into the murders of many other journalists.

According to the paper, Palley expressed concern for the safety of other journalists reporting on human rights abuses and said she hoped Turkey ''will guarantee the safety of all those exercising their freedom of expression''.

It is noted that Turkey has one of the worst human rights record in the world, as reported by many independent human rights organisations and associations.

It holds the world record in the killing and disappearance of journalists, especially those of Kurdish origin and leftists.

In the first three Cyprus applications to the European Human Rights Commission, Turkey was found guilty of mass violations of human rights in Cyprus.

Turkish troops have been occupying 37 per cent of Cyprus territory since 1974, in violation of repeated UN resolutions calling for their withdrawal.

The invasion troops killed more than 6.000 Greek Cypriots while a total of 1619 persons were listed as missing persons.

Some 200.000 Greek Cypriots, making one third of the island's population, were forcibly uprooted from their homes by the Turkish troops.

CNA RG/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1900:CYPPRESS:07

[03] Police inquiries into demonstrators' murders continue

''Investigations are proceeding in a satisfactory manner but so far we do not have any specific information which would lead us to the identity of those who appear in the photographic material we have, save a general view and a reasonable suspicion about their identity,'' Markides told a press conference here today.

Police, with the help of experts, are carrying out thorough investigations to identify the persons who murdered in cold blood Tasos Isaac and Solomos Solomou during protests in the UN buffer zone.

''Once these inquiries are completed, we expect to have a lot more information at hand within a week and we anticipate to be able to draw up the suspects' portraits by the end of two weeks,'' Markides revealed.

At present, he said, there is reasonable suspicion that members of the Turkish terrorist group ''The Grey Wolves'', persons clad in police uniform, apparently that of the Turkish Cypriot occupation regime, and others, who may be Turks or Turkish Cypriots, seem to be involved in Isaac's murder.

Isaac was savagely beaten to death by several persons carrying bats and iron bars and his death was captured on film by many photographers, local and overseas, covering the demonstrations.

As far as Solomou's murder is concerned, Markides said ''we have located a person who apparently is a Turkish army officer.''

A man, clad in army uniform, is seen on TV footage firing against Solomou who was climbing up a flagpole to pull down the Turkish flag.

''Shots were fired from four or more directions against Solomou but we are still analysing photographic material and video tapes containing the murder,'' the Attorney General explained.

Asked whether an arrest warrant will be issued, Markides said an arrest warrant will be issued if and when a specific person is identified.

''It is not possible, in legal terms, to issue an arrest warrant against unknown persons or against every suspect. Cyprus' legal system does not allow for the issue of such arrest warrants,'' he explained.

Once sufficient material is found about the persons concerned, portraits and photographs will circulate around the world and a reward is likely to be offered to any person who can supply information leading to the identity of the persons wanted.

Asked if the government would seek to obtain UN material to facilitate its investigations, Markides said so far there has been ''satisfactory cooperation between the UN and Cyprus investigators.''

The Attorney General acknowledged that the illegal Turkish occupation of Cyprus' northern areas impairs police investigations and noted that help will be sought from intelligence services to gather information.

He said the wider issue relating to Turkey's responsibility for the murders, as the power behind the Turkish Cypriot regime, is a matter to be decided by the government and the National Council (top advisory body to the President) because ''there are political and legal implications.''

''We seem to have before us a good and serious case concerning specific violations of fundamental principles of human rights and the appropriate legal approach to this case is to argue that Turkey bears the responsibility for anything that goes on in the occupied part of the Republic of Cyprus,'' he said.

CNA MM/RG/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article