A senior official from the Turkish Cypriot occupation regime is defending the 1996 murder of Tasos Isaac, calling it a m...

A senior official from the Turkish Cypriot occupation regime is defending the 1996 murder of Tasos Isaac, calling it a matter of "honor." The remarks came from Arikli, president of the settlers' Renaissance Party and the regime's self-proclaimed Minister of Public Works, who is already wanted by the Republic of Cyprus in connection with Isaac's killing. Arikli posted the comments online, framing the brutal murder as a defense of the occupation flag. He attempted to justify the events of that August as a point of pride, not shame, pushing back against an earlier apology issued by Kizilgiourek over the same incident. Isaac was beaten to death by a mob of Turkish settlers and paramilitaries on August 11, 1996, during a motorcycle rally that crossed into the UN buffer zone near Deryneia. He was unarmed and died from his injuries after a savage attack that was captured on camera and shocked the world. His cousin Solomos Solomou was shot dead attempting to reach Isaac's body three days later. Arikli remains wanted by Cypriot authorities and continues to operate freely under the protection of the occupation regime in the north. His post drew immediate backlash from both sides of the divide, with many pointing out that a man wanted for murder is now publicly bragging about the act. The 1996 Deryneia killings remain one of the most documented atrocities of the Cyprus occupation. Thirty years on, no one has faced justice for Isaac's death, and statements like Arikli's show why accountability remains a distant prospect. #Cyprus #TasosIsaac #CyprusOccupation