The trial of Oz Karahan, President of the Union of Cypriots, and journalist Giorgos Tattis, who were violently arrested by police for carrying a banner reading “Republic of Cyprus: The only solution” during the Independence Day celebrations, is set to stand on November 18.
Oz Karahan and Giorgos Tattis were arrested while unfurling a banner in front of the protocol tribune during the parade organized to mark the 64th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Cyprus.
The banner had the slogans “REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS: THE ONLY SOLUTION” and “APARTHEID IS NOT A SOLUTION” in Greek, Turkish and English.
Citizens and politicians gathered at the courthouse to show solidarity with those arrested and protest the case, while holding up posters featuring the banner that was used as the reason for the arrests. Green Party of Cyprus President George Perdikis, along with the party’s Vice President Kyriacos Tsimillis, DIKO (Democratic Party) MP Christos Orphanides, EDEK Socialist Party spokesperson Giorgos Georgiou, as well as dozens of people from the citizens’ initiative “Pancyprian Mobilization for the Freedom of Cyprus” were present in the courtyard of the court in solidarity.
SUPPORT FROM GREENS AND EDEK FOR KARAHAN AND TATTIS
“THE MAJORITY OF CITIZENS OF THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS AGREE WITH THE SLOGAN ON THE BANNER”
In addition to the support of the Green Party of Cyprus and the EDEK Socialist Party, some DIKO and AKEL MPs also declared their support for the “Republic of Cyprus: The only solution” banner.
“Instead of encouraging joint action by Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots who oppose Turkey’s ‘defunct Republic of Cyprus’ rhetoric, the government is prosecuting activists and sending them behind bars,” the Green Party of Cyprus said in a statement reiterating its reaction to the events, calling it a “shame”.
“The majority of the citizens of the Republic of Cyprus agree with the slogan on the banner,” the EDEK Socialist Party said in a statement yesterday. “We reiterate that we believe that the slogan on the banner is fully in line with the struggle of the Cypriot people, that this is the long-standing position of EDEK and that it should be the banner of the search for a lasting, viable and democratic solution to the Cyprus problem,” it said in a new statement today.
SEVERAL DIKO MPS ALSO EXPRESSED THEIR SUPPORT
DIKO MP Christos Orphanides, who was in court today in support of Oz Karahan and Giorgos Tattis, expressed solidarity, while DIKO MP Pavlos Mylonas made a statement, saying: “The slogan that our compatriots are using for the Republic of Cyprus on the occasion of the anniversary of October 1, that the only solution is the Republic of Cyprus, is my position, as is my position that apartheid, imposed by foreign powers as a solution for Cyprus, has no place in our country.”
AKEL: WHAT ARE THE LEGAL PROVISIONS PROHIBITING THE UNFURLING OF BANNERS?
SUPPORT FROM AKEL FORMER MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
Former AKEL (Progressive Party of Working People) MEP Takis Hadjigeorgiou said in a statement: “The grounds for the arrest of two young members of the Green Party of Cyprus for allegedly trying to unfurl a banner and resisting arrest are reminiscent of dark times. Moreover, the banner did not say anything that should be banned. This is a very worrying development.”
In a statement released the day after the arrests, AKEL said, “We call on the Ministry of Justice and the Police to answer the questions raised by yesterday’s arrest of two Cypriot citizens during a parade marking the anniversary of the independence of Cyprus. What legal provisions prohibit the attempt of the two citizens to unfurl banners and how does this action pose a threat to public order? How can the Police, who do not even intervene in serious disturbances, be so heavy-handed?”
