Press Releases

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs takes note of today’s decision of the Committee of Ministers' Deputies of the Council of Europe, according to which the Committee preserves the supervision of the implementation of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) Decision as regards the Fourth Inter-State Case Cyprus v. Turkey (Missing Persons) and Varnava and others v. Turkey. 

In this decision, the Committee of Ministers' Deputies of the Council of Europe acknowledges the importance of humanitarian issues in relation to the missing persons in Cyprus. The Committee calls on Turkey to provide continuing assistance to the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP), including unhindered access to all areas as well as to all information relevant to its work, and to continue investigating the circumstances under which the missing persons have died.

Moreover, the Committee invites Turkey to continue to keep the Committee informed of any new developments, including on any additional investigation which might have been initiated regarding the remaining six missing persons in the Varnava case.

Furthermore, the Committee of Ministers' Deputies deplores Turkey's repeated failure to respond to its unconditional obligation to pay the awarded sums in the Cyprus v. Turkey judgment of 12 May 2014 and the Varnava and Others v. Turkey judgment of 18 September 2009. Turkey is strongly urged to promptly make these payments together with the default interest accrued without further delay.

With this decision, the Committee of Ministers' Deputies underlines Turkey’s responsibility to take all necessary measures to comply with the aforementioned Court judgments, which hold it accountable for the persistent human rights’ violations and the anguish endured by the relatives of the missing persons as a result of the invasion and continued occupation of Cyprus.

Additionally, the Committee of Ministers' Deputies has decided to include the Fourth Inter-State Case Cyprus v. Turkey (property rights of displaced persons) in the preliminary draft order of Business of the September 2024 meeting.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its appreciation to the Law Office of the Republic of Cyprus for the close cooperation and coordination.

(MF/GS/NZ)