Filenews 18 July 2025 - by Theodora Nikolaou
The Deputy Minister of Migration and International Protection, Dr. Nicolas A. Ioannidis, categorically rejects the allegations of torture against migrants who resided for a certain period of time in the buffer zone last year.
According to a report by "Politis", 21 persons who were in the buffer zone last year, appealed to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), denouncing the authorities of the Republic of Cyprus for pushbacks, obstruction of the right to access asylum procedures, inhuman and degrading treatment, violence and illegal detention in some cases, as well as forcing them to live in miserable conditions for a long time.
Specifically, they complain about the conditions of their stay in an area that -as they claim- was infected with snakes, while they complain that they had no housing, food or medical care. At the same time, they complain about the treatment they suffered by the authorities during their pushback to the buffer zone in a violent way, as they say.
In response to a journalist's question, during today's presentation of the results of his Deputy Ministry for the 1st half of 2025, Mr. Ioannidis confirmed that there are complaints against the Republic of Cyprus, which will be studied in cooperation with the Legal Service.
As he said, the complaints were made with the support of the UNHCR, but also specific Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), without mentioning them by name. "Of course, the operation of these NGOs is a democratic right, as is the presence of international organizations," he said, while clarifying that "any abusive behaviour on the part of these organizations, which may harm the rights and interests of the Republic of Cyprus, will not be tolerated."
As for the complaints, he stressed that there was no torture by the Police. According to Mr. Ioannidis, the CC provided the people residing in the buffer zone with the essentials, such as water, food, and medical care. Commenting on the allegation of a 24-hour police presence in the area, he said that the Police cannot enter the Buffer Zone, while adding that UNFICYP was located there.
Further, responding to the so-called pushbacks, he explained that this cannot be the case as the occupied territories are not a separate state, but occupied territory of the Republic of Cyprus. These migrants came from Turkey, which did not implement its international obligations, resulting in them acting undisturbed in the occupied criminal networks of migrant smugglers.
