Head of the Turkish Cypriot Bar Association Hasan Esendağlı made statements regarding the prosecution of Lawyer Akan Kürşat, who was arrested in Italy with a European Arrest Warrant issued against him in 2005 and renewed in 2007, and who was released on bail at the Nicosia District Court (Cyprus – South) on February 9.
Esendağlı held a press conference at the Bar Association Head Office regarding the arrest and judicial process of Lawyer Akan Kürşat.
Hasan Esendağlı announced that Kürşat denied all 20 accusations brought against him and that the next hearing is set to be held on February 29.
He also noted that when the content and facts of the indictment against Lawyer Akan Kürşat are examined, the alleged acts do not constitute a crime on either side of the island.
Esendağlı said that it is neither acceptable legally and lacks humanitarian rights for the Greek Cypriot side which has no jurisdiction and sovereignty, to criminalize the acts committed in North Cyprus, and to victimise the Turkish Cypriots with committing these crimes.
“WE CANNOT OBSERVE THIS AS A NORMAL JUDICIAL PROCESS”
He said that it is out of the question for a professional organization of Turkish Cypriot lawyers, to see the process as a normal judicial process. Making a statement on the property issue, which is one of the important topics of the political dispute between the two sides, Esendağlı said that it is not ethical, right, or legal to resort to punitive instruments that target Turkish Cypriots individually.
“WHY NOW ?…”
Esendağlı underlined that the date of the arrest warrant was 2007 yet, Kürşat has crossed over to the Greek Cypriot side through official channels many times, he has departed from Larnaca Airport, he has renewed his passport and identity card of the Republic of Cyprus, and has traveled to Italy and many other countries in Europe.
Esendağlı noted that at this point the only answer to the question “why now” is “personal interests”.
