Family of Simon Aykut Outraged: 75-Year-Old Cancer Patient Detained for 500 Days

In a written statement, Aykut’s family said, “Simon Aykut has been forgotten. A 75-year-old cancer patient has been in detention for 500 days.” The statement highlights concerns over human rights in Cyprus, pointing out the contrast between Aykut’s situation in the South and the international attention given to five Greek Cypriots detained in the TRNC.

“Only Silence for Simon”

The statement continued:

“Almost no one is drawing attention to 75-year-old cancer patient Simon Aykut. Separated from his family and battling his illness, he has been held in a Southern Cyprus prison for more than 500 days. More than six months ago, he applied to the European Court of Human Rights, but his case has been ignored.

The Andreas Kypriano matter underscores this contradiction. Despite Kypriano testifying against Simon and Yaacov Afik in a Southern Cyprus court, he repeatedly entered the North, accessed Afik Group’s Caesar Beach, and took photographs there. He also allegedly encouraged other Greek Cypriots to bypass the Immovable Property Commission (an internationally recognized legal route), monitor property owners, and submit political complaints in the South. Yaacov Afik reported Kypriano’s actions to the Northern Cyprus police. The fact that a court witness can enter private property, document it, and encourage others to do the same is unacceptable. Such actions clearly demonstrate double standards: provocateurs are protected while Turkish Cypriot residents and international investors are targeted.

International reactions highlight this imbalance. Leaders issued statements and media campaigns calling for the release of five Greek Cypriots in the North. For Simon, an elderly cancer patient awaiting a human rights appeal, there is only silence.”

“Double Standards Undermine Justice and Peace”

Aykut’s family added, “These double standards undermine justice and peace, reduce human rights to a selective tool, and fuel hostility instead of reconciliation. If Europe, the United States, and international organizations truly value justice, they must apply the same standard to everyone, resolve property disputes through the Immovable Property Commission and negotiations, and ensure human rights protect every individual.”