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ER Editor: See this article we put out in July on the topic of the island of Cyprus becoming an outpost of Israel —
The New Israel: Cyprus’ ‘Silent Occupation’
A reminder that Cyprus is still divided between Greek territory (south) and Turkish territory (north).
The media outlet In Cyprus also has this —
Israeli developer admits 40 property fraud charges on Greek Cypriot land, faces sentencing on 24 October
Shimon Mistriel Aykut will learn his sentence on 24 October at 11:00 when Nicosia Permanent Criminal Court announces the penalty for fraudulent property dealings involving Greek Cypriot land in a landmark case that marks the first conviction of its kind since Turkey’s 1974 occupation of northern Cyprus.
The 74-year-old Israeli citizen, who also holds Portuguese and Turkish nationality, admitted 40 charges concerning fraudulent dealings in immovable property belonging to another, whilst 202 other charges were withdrawn following a plea agreement with prosecutors.
He admitted charges that under the criminal code carry a prison sentence of up to seven years. Given that the constituent elements of this criminal offence concern appropriation of Greek Cypriot land for the first time, the court’s decision is characterised as unprecedented.
Aykut’s family, the branch in New York, are non too happy about this —
Aykut family launches anti-Cyprus campaign in New York
Family members of Shimon Aykut staged a protest outside the United Nations headquarters in New York, demanding the release of the 75-year-old property developer who has been detained by Cypriot authorities for over one year on charges of illegal exploitation of Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied north.
The demonstration coincided with President Christodoulides’ visit to New York for an informal five-party summit on the Cyprus problem convened by the UN Secretary-General. Protesters decorated a van with messages and distributed leaflets claiming Aykut is being held as a “political hostage” and allegedly denied life-saving cancer treatment.
This Times of Israel report explains some of the complexities of why Greek Cypriot land is held in the Turkish-controlled zone.
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Cypriot court convicts Israeli developer over illegal real estate scheme
PRESS TV
A court in Cyprus has sentenced an Israeli real estate agent to prison for illegally developing and selling apartment complexes on land owned by Greek Cypriots in the Turkish-occupied north.
Israeli businessman Shimon Mistriel Aykout, 74, received a five-year prison sentence on Friday, following a plea bargain that covered “40 charges of illegal property appropriation.”
Israeli real estate developer, Shimon Mistriel Aykout (File photo)
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The judges emphasized the seriousness of the offenses and accounted for time already served, as Aykout has been in custody since June 2024.
Between 2014 and 2024, Aykout led the Afik Group of Companies, which authorities reported had constructed approximately 400,000 square meters across four northern villages, with developments valued at over €38 million ($44.4 million).
Requests for his release on medical grounds were denied, with the court noting that local facilities could provide the necessary care.
“The court’s decision sends a clear message … that if you buy, build or otherwise use land in the areas that belong to Greek Cypriots, you are committing serious criminal acts,” said prosecuting attorney Andreas Aristides.
Nicosia lawyer Simos Angelides stated that the ruling, along with similar prosecutions, has “triggered panic” in the northern real estate sector and “shattered the illusion of legal impunity,” adding: “Do not exploit stolen property, as you may soon have an arrest warrant in your name.”
The judgment comes amid increasing interest from Israeli buyers in Cypriot property. The Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL), an opposition party, has noted that purchases are concentrated in Larnaca and Limassol and facilitated by residency-by-investment schemes.
Since 2021, nearly 4,000 properties in southern Cyprus have been acquired by Israelis, including over 1,400 in Larnaca, more than 1,100 in Limassol, and over 1,200 in Paphos. Consultants have described Pyla as an informal hub.
Hebrew media outlets such as Haaretz and Ynet have reported on this trend, while AKEL has raised concerns about locals facing increased competition in the housing market.
The Cyprus Audit Authority has revealed that Israelis now account for roughly 10 percent of all non-European property buyers, a figure that has increased sharply since October 7, 2023, when Israel launched its genocidal assault on Gaza, resulting in the deaths of at least 68,280 Palestinians and injuries to 170,375, most of them women and children.
Commentators attribute the rising interest of Israeli buyers in Cyprus to the regime’s growing international isolation, ongoing genocide cases at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the uncertainties stemming from political instability in the occupied territories.
They say that the pattern of property acquisition mirrors the settler-colonial pattern seen in Palestine, while local politicians describe it as “a strategic project to turn Cyprus into Israel’s backyard.”
The island’s Jewish population, currently estimated at around 15,000, has grown from a few hundred two decades ago, with new communities featuring synagogues, private schools, and kosher stores.
Source
Featured image source: https://www.hic-mena.org/activitydetails.php?title=Israeli-Developer-in-the-Dock-for-Fraudulent-Deals-on-Occupied-Cyprus-Land&id=qGxkYw==
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