SYSTEMATIC VIOLATION OF FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS IN OCCUPIED CYPRUS BY TURKEY

Abstract

Since Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus in 1974, hundreds of thousands of individuals of both Greek and Turkish origin have been systematically deprived of their fundamental rights, causing severe harm to the island as a whole and posing a significant risk to international stability in one of the world’s most geopolitically sensitive regions. The Turkish Army, as the occupying force, has been responsible for multiple and egregious violations of fundamental human rights, including forced mass displacements, deportations, expulsions, destruction of public and private property, looting of cultural and religious heritage, and extrajudicial executions of both soldiers and civilians in concentration camps. This paper analyzes these violations within the framework of international law, particularly through the lens of the European Convention on Human Rights and other relevant legal instruments. It further examines how these violations have been addressed in resolutions adopted by key international bodies, including the UN Security Council, the UN General Assembly, the Human Rights Commission, the Subcommittee on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, and the Committee on the Elimination of Minorities.