in-cyprus 28 December 2025 - by Costas Venizelos
Authorities in the Republic of Cyprus are entering a final phase of evaluation that will trigger a fresh wave of arrests targeting those illegally exploiting Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied north. Evidence is mounting against a vast “chain” of suspects, with investigators methodically linking one case to the next.
Widening the net: Developers and advertisers targeted
The government has established strict criteria to dismantle the entire illegal trade. The crackdown now explicitly targets five specific categories of offenders:
Developers and Builders
Sellers
Buyers
Estate Agents
Advertisers
The investigation spans multiple nationalities. While Turkish Cypriots and Turkish nationals are primary targets, the net has caught Russians, Ukrainians, and even Greek Cypriots found to be collaborating with usurpers.
Public demands “no retreat” on prosecutions
The policy of aggressive prosecution enjoys overwhelming public support. A November 2025 poll commissioned by the Cyprus Greens (Ecologists Movement) reveals that 70% of citizens view these prosecutions as vital and demand they continue. Only 10% fear the move might hinder Cyprus problem negotiations, while 20% remain undecided. The Greens have already handed over dossiers on specific companies involved in illegal exploitation to the President.
The Jafari escape and the Aykut precedent
Larnaca is currently reeling from a legal setback in France. Behdad Jafari, an Iranian suspect wanted by Cyprus, was released by French authorities and has since fled back to the occupied areas. Experts blame the failure on the French prosecution’s “inadequate” promotion of the Cypriot extradition request and a disregard for established European case law (the Apostolides case).
Conversely, the conviction of Simon Mistriel Aykut—described as the “big fish”—stands as a landmark success. Aykut was sentenced to five years for the illegal development of 400,000 square metres of land valued at €40 million. His illegal “Caesar” projects spanned:
Agios Amvrosios (Ceasar Cliff)
Trikomo (Ceasar Resort)
Gastria (Ceasar Beach and Blue)
Akanthou (Ceasar Breeze and Bay)
Aykut is currently seeking a transfer to Israel to serve the remainder of his sentence, a move the Cypriot government is viewing with extreme caution, given his high-level political ties in Tel Aviv.
Turkish panic as construction halts
The crackdown is working. Real estate activity in the occupied north has slowed significantly as foreign nationals sell up and flee, fearing arrest upon entering EU territory. In many cases, these “stolen” properties are now being bought by Turkish nationals under direct instruction from Ankara to keep the market afloat.
Occupied-area leaders Ersin Tatar and Tufan Erhürman have repeatedly pressured President Christodoulides to halt the arrests. Erhürman even included a demand for the “termination of arrests” as the fifth point in a recent ten-point proposal, claiming they create a “negative climate.”
The failure of the “Immovable Property Commission”
Ankara continues to point victims toward the “Immovable Property Commission” (IPC) as the only legal remedy, but data reveal its inefficiency. Despite 18 years of operation, the IPC has managed to “Turkify” only 1.5% of Greek Cypriot land (approximately 23,000 decares out of an estimated 2 billion square metres). Often frozen due to a lack of Turkish funds, the Commission is increasingly seen as a political tool to deflect from the ongoing legal battle in Republic-controlled courts.
