Turkish Cypriot lawyer Akan Kürsat will be extradited to the Republic of Cyprus tomorrow

Turkish Cypriot lawyer Akan Kürsat, arrested in Italy in early January, will be extradited to the Republic of Cyprus tomorrow. The lawyer nevertheless agreed to the expulsion.

According to Kıbrıs Postası, the day before Akan Kürsat appeared in court in Italy, where he voluntarily accepted extradition. It is expected that tomorrow he will be delivered to the island, accompanied by inspectors from the Republic of Cyprus.

Let us remind you that Akan Kürsat was arrested in Italy in January 2024. Since 2007, a European arrest warrant has been issued for him. The Greek Cypriot administration authorities accuse the lawyer of “usurpation of Greek property in the TRNC” - the sale of Greek Cypriot property in the north.

Following the arrest, a lawyer filed an objection to Cyprus' extradition request, claiming he feared for his life in the country's prisons since a Turkish Cypriot prisoner was killed there in 2022.

It is expected that the lawyer will appear in court upon his return to the island. This will be the first time that a Turkish Cypriot holding Cypriot citizenship will go to trial for exploiting Greek Cypriot property in the north of the country.

According to Politis, due to the nature of the case at hand, the Greek Cypriot Administration's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice held extensive consultations with the Police and Legal Department.

It is also reported that once Akan Kurshat reaches Cyprus, an arrest warrant will be issued and he will be sent to court the very next day to decide whether he will remain in custody pending his case or be released with restrictive conditions.