Seeking Witnesses in the Case of a Turkish Cypriot Lawyer Trading Greek Real Estate in Cyprus

Witnesses are being sought in the Republic of Cyprus in the case of a Turkish Cypriot lawyer who traded Greek real estate in the north. It is expected that lawyer Akan Kyurshat, arrested in Italy for involvement in the illegal use of Greek property in the TRNC, will be extradited to the island today.

According to Fileleftheros, "significant efforts have been made in the Republic of Cyprus to identify witnesses in this case." It is also reported that Greek police investigators are in Rome to retrieve the lawyer and bring him to Cyprus.

The newspaper reports that investigators handling the case have prepared a list of witnesses to be ready to testify in court. Among them are British citizens. It is expected that the Greek police will contact them through British authorities to inform them that they are witnesses for the prosecution and invite them to testify.

Recall that Akan Kyurshat was arrested in Italy in January 2024. Since 2007, a European arrest warrant has been issued against him. The authorities of the Greek Cypriot administration accuse the lawyer of "usurping Greek property in the TRNC" - selling property of Greek Cypriots in the north.

After his arrest, the lawyer objected to Cyprus' extradition request, claiming he feared for his life in the country's prisons, as a Turkish Cypriot prisoner was killed there in 2022.

It is assumed that upon his return to the island, the lawyer will appear before the court. This will be the first case of a Turkish Cypriot, who holds Cypriot citizenship, facing trial for the exploitation of Cypriot-Greek property in the north of the country.