Co-chair of the Technical Committee on Crime and Criminal Matters, Hakki Onen (main photo) has said that South Cyprus was making no effort to hand over Turkish Cypriot criminals who had committed crimes in the TRNC before escaping to the south.
Both two sides have cooperated on around 3,391 cases regarding criminal matters. There has been no other action beyond that.
The South Cyprus authorities have rejected the Turkish Cypriot authorities’ request for the return of 19 Turkish Cypriots, who are mostly wanted for drug-related offences committed in the TRNC and who have fled south. The south’s authorities say that they cannot hand over their citizens.
This issue was highlighted after police in South Cyprus requested that the Turkish Cypriots hand over two men suspected of the murder of British tourist George Low (22) and of stabbing his friend Ben Barker (22) in Ayia Napa. Barker survived the attack.
The two suspects, Mehmet Akpinar and Sali Ahmet are in custody in the TRNC, facing charges of violating a military zone. Neither of the men have been handed over to the police in the south.
Star Kibris
