US Calls for an End to Discrimination Against Religious Minorities in Cyprus

The United States has called on communities in Cyprus to allow broader access to religious sites on both sides of the border and to reduce discrimination against religious minorities on the island.

This was stated in the US Department of State's 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom. According to the document, US Embassy representatives met with officials from the Ministries of Interior, Foreign Affairs, and Justice of the Republic of Cyprus to discuss religious freedom issues. These discussions included encouraging broader access to religious sites on both sides of the "Green Line" and reducing discrimination against religious minorities.

The report states that in Cyprus, Muslim worshipers have access to only five of the 19 mosques recognized as cultural heritage sites, as well as five other mosques not classified as such. Thus, believers have access to only ten functioning mosques on the Greek side of the island.

The document also mentions that the Department of Antiquities continues to restrict regular access to one of the ten functioning mosques, the Hala Sultan Tekke. Only two of the five daily prayers are conducted there. Extended access is provided during Ramadan and upon request by the imam.

The report also notes that authorities continue to deny permits for the slaughter of animals for food production in accordance with religious customs. However, it is noted that the Muslim community does not face difficulties in accessing halal meat.

The report highlights the activities of the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage, one of the bicommunal committees established as part of the UN-facilitated settlement negotiations.

The report states that in September, the committee completed the conservation of a mosque in the village of Kalo Chorio/Vuda in the Larnaca district. In May, the committee completed the restoration of a mosque in the village of Maroni in the same district. Meanwhile, the Department of Antiquities continued restoration work on the Grand Mosque in Limassol.

According to Cyprus Mail, the report indicates that religious minorities in the Republic of Cyprus continued to report societal pressure to participate in public Greek Orthodox religious ceremonies, such as weddings and baptisms. At the same time, Greek Orthodox Christians complained that they sometimes faced ostracism from their community if they converted to another religion.

The report also covers the situation in the TRNC. Specifically, Turkish Cypriot authorities stated that from January to December, they approved 128 out of 185 requests for Greek Cypriot religious services, compared to 107 out of 173 requests from January to December 2022.

Greek Orthodox Church representatives claim that Turkish Cypriot police "continue to monitor church services and check the documents of participants," photographing the IDs of all worshippers.

Representatives of the Cyprus Church also stated that access to some Orthodox religious sites in the north, which are falling into disrepair, is almost non-existent, with many of them turned into stables, mosques, or used for other purposes.

Additionally, it is claimed that Greek Orthodox cemeteries in the northern part are in a state of disrepair: crosses and other religious symbols are broken or removed, and some burial sites are completely destroyed. According to representatives of the Greek Church, only about five of the 500 burial sites are in good condition.

The report also mentions that in November, Rabbi Chaim Hillel Azimov, who led the small Jewish community in the north of the island, left Cyprus with his family, citing increasing hostility following the start of the conflict in Israel.

Read also: Churches in Northern Cyprus