(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Rauf Denktash, President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (which is only recognised by Turkey), RSF expressed its concern about the fire in the printing house of the Turkish Cypriot daily “Avrupa”. RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard called on the president to do everything in his power to ensure […]
(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Rauf Denktash, President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (which is only recognised by Turkey), RSF expressed its concern about the fire in the printing house of the Turkish Cypriot daily “Avrupa”. RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard called on the president to do everything in his power to ensure that an inquiry is opened and the responsible persons are identified and tried. RSF recalled that the newspaper’s editor-in-chief and three of its journalists were accused of spying for the Greek part of the island in July 2000 and were detained for several days (see IFEX alerts of 11 July 2000).
According to the information collected by RSF, on 27 November unidentified persons set fire to the Turkish Cypriot daily “Avrupa”‘s printing house in northern Nicosia. Extensive damage was caused and the printing house is no longer operating. The daily’s editor-in-chief, Sener Levent, claims the fire is a new attempt to muzzle his newspaper. “Avrupa” is being prosecuted for seventy-five alleged offences. Charges were laid by the Turkish Cypriot administration for “incitement to hatred towards the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus and the Turkish army”.
