Politis

Testimony on 1963 Murder of Greek Cypriots Published by Turkish Cypriot Newspaper

Published December 31, 2025, 14:16
Testimony on 1963 Murder of Greek Cypriots Published by Turkish Cypriot Newspaper

The Turkish Cypriot newspaper Yeni Bakış has published testimony regarding the murder of approximately 80 Greek Cypriots around 1963, who, according to the account, were “beheaded and thrown into a well.” The testimony comes from an eyewitness who wished to remain anonymous until their death. The newspaper's owner, Yusuf Kisa, states that the witness revealed the name of the village where the incident occurred and the location of the well, as well as the involvement of his uncle in the murder. Kisa published the story now, fulfilling the wish of the deceased witness. The representative of the Greek Cypriot side in the CMP, Leonidas Pantelidis, stated that the information will be investigated. He noted that there are 44-45 Greek Cypriot missing persons from the 1963-64 period, of which 20 have already been identified. Of these, 16 were found in Hamit Mandres and 4 in occupied Nicosia. Mr. Pantelidis mentioned that the Committee will try to contact Yusuf Kisa to obtain more information, especially regarding the possible location of the mass grave. However, he noted that burials in wells were not common practice during that period. This publication has caused unrest and is expected to lead to further investigations to determine the truth of the claims and locate the remains of the missing persons.