The Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL) has demanded an immediate investigation into the events leading up to the death of a Bangladeshi national in Limassol, who leapt from the fifth floor of a building in a bid to evade a police migrant raid.
In a statement, AKEL called upon the Justice Minister and the Police Chief to clarify several key issues surrounding the event, including adherence to legal protocols during the police search, whether force was exercised, the involvement of the property’s owner, and the identification of those responsible for illegally employing the migrants.
“The death of the Bangladeshi worker tragically reveals how various networks are enriching themselves by exploiting migrants as cheap labour, brought to Cyprus through various means, which then fuels illegal and undeclared work. This abscess must be lanced, and the State must take responsibility,” the party said.
Early on Wednesday, officers from the Alien and Immigration Service arrived at an apartment building in Limassol, acting on a tip about undocumented migrants living there.
Police said that as the officers entered the apartment, two occupants attempted to flee, with one young man jumping out of a window and succumbing to his injuries from the fall.
Another person jumped onto an adjacent balcony, suffering serious fractures and injuries, and was rushed to the hospital.
Ten people who were found living in the apartment were taken to the Limassol Police Headquarters, on suspicion of being undocumented migrants.
Lefteris Kyriakou, head of the Limassol Criminal Investigation Department (CID), told the Cyprus News Agency that in such immigration checks, a search warrant is not legally required.
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