The US State Department’s annual report on human rights in Cyprus highlights a mixed record, with concerns raised about both the Republic of Cyprus and the occupied areas.
In the Republic of Cyprus, key concerns include interference with the freedom of NGOs, refoulement of asylum seekers, and violence targeting minorities. While the Cypriot government has taken some steps to address abuses, instances of impunity remain.
The report does acknowledge that freedom of expression for the media is generally respected and elections are considered free and fair, though reports of government corruption continue.
The occupied areas face significant human rights issues, including harsh prison conditions, restrictions on media and assembly, and interference with privacy. Refoulement of asylum seekers, violence against minorities, widespread corruption and impunity are also areas of concern.
The report is part of a series of reports for 198 countries and territories for the year 2023.
Republic of Cyprus
The Report on Cyprus begins by stressing that the government of the Republic of Cyprus is the only internationally recognised government on the island, “but since 1974 the northern third of Cyprus has been administered by Turkish Cypriots”, as it refers to the occupied areas of the island.
“This area proclaimed itself the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” in 1983. The United States does not recognise the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”; Turkey (Türkiye) is the only country that does. A substantial number of Turkish troops remain on the island. A buffer zone, or “Green Line,” patrolled by a UN peacekeeping force, separates the two areas. This report outlines developments in both communities.”
The Report notes that “there were no significant changes in the human rights situation in the Republic of Cyprus or the area administered by Turkish Cypriots during the year.”
It says that significant human rights issues in the Republic of Cyprus included “credible reports of substantial interference with freedom of association of nongovernmental organisations; refoulement of asylum seekers to a country where they would face torture or persecution; and crimes involving violence or threats of violence targeting members of national or ethnic minority groups, including foreign asylum seekers.”
It notes that the Republic of Cyprus government took steps to identify and punish officials who may have committed human rights abuses, although there were limited cases of impunity.
The Republic’s law, it adds, provided for freedom of expression, including for the press and other media, and the government generally respected this right. An independent media, an effective judiciary, and a functioning democratic political system combined to promote freedom of expression, including for media members, it says.
Furthermore, it notes that the Republic’s law and the constitution provided citizens the ability to choose their government in free and fair periodic elections held by secret ballot and based on universal and equal suffrage.
Regarding corruption, it notes that the Republic of Cyprus law provided criminal penalties for corruption by officials, and the government generally implemented the law effectively. There were numerous reports of government corruption, it notes.
Moreover, it says that domestic and international human rights groups in the Republic generally operated without government restriction to monitor or investigate human rights conditions or cases and publish their findings. NGOs reported government officials were somewhat cooperative and responsive to their views, it says.
Turkish Cypriots
The report also refers to the “area administered by Turkish Cypriots”, noting that significant human rights issues included: harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy; serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media freedom, including violence or threats of violence against journalists, and enforcement of or threat to enforce criminal libel laws to limit expression.
In addition, it refers to substantial interference with the freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association, including for nongovernmental organisations; restrictions on freedom of movement and residence within the territory of a “state” and on the right to leave the area administrated by Turkish Cypriots; refoulement of refugees or asylum seekers to a country where they would face torture or persecution, including serious harms; serious “government” corruption; crimes involving violence or threats of violence targeting members of national or ethnic minority groups, including foreign asylum seekers; and trafficking in persons, including forced labour.
The report says that “authorities” in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots took limited credible steps to identify and punish “officials” who may have committed human rights abuses. There was evidence, however, of widespread impunity, it concludes.
The 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices was presented by Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who focused on human rights abuses in Russia, Sudan, China, the Gaza Strip, Iran, Afghanistan and Cuba.
The US State Department outlined Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the civil war in Sudan and the Israel-Hamas war as just some of the major global human rights concerns.
(With information from the Cyprus News Agency)
