US lawmakers' letter to Rubio: They demand the release of 5 Greek Cypriots detained in the occupied areas

In particular, Congressmen Gus Bilirakis, Nicole Malliotakis, Dina Titus, and Chris Pappas speak of politically motivated arrests that threaten the bicommunal and bizonal comprehensive settlement that the State Department is seeking for the reunification of the island.

“In light of this serious escalation by the Turkish authorities, we call on the State Department, through the United States Embassies in Nicosia and Ankara, to take action against those responsible in the occupied territories, demanding the immediate release of Greek Cypriots who are being illegally detained for exercising their human right to visit their ancestral homes. The State Department must also hold Turkey accountable for its ongoing violations in Cyprus and press for an end to the illegal occupation of the island,” they emphasize.

Finally, the American lawmakers interpret the detention of the five Greek Cypriot citizens as retaliation by the occupation administration against the increasing legal actions being taken against illegal real estate development in the northern part of the island.

The letter of the American representatives to Marco Rubio:
Dear Secretary Rubio,

As the head of the Hellenic Caucus in the House of Representatives, concerned about the ongoing illegal and violent division of the Republic of Cyprus, we express our deep concern about the arrest and detention of five Greek Cypriots in the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus. These arrests are politically motivated and illegal, and threaten the bicommunal and bizonal comprehensive settlement that the State Department is seeking for the reunification of the island.

On 19 July 2025, five elderly Greek Cypriots were arrested in the village of Trikomo, located in the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus, while visiting their ancestral properties.

The citizens in question were falsely accused of illegal entry, espionage and disturbing public order. They were subsequently detained under questionable legal procedures, subjected to grueling court hearings and are currently being held in harsh prison conditions, despite suffering from chronic illnesses.

The arrests came shortly after the fifty-first anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 and are seen as retaliation for the increasing legal action being taken against illegal property development in the northern part of the island, where the Republic of Cyprus does not exercise effective control.

Recently, the five Greek Cypriots were brought before a military court shortly after spending a total of twenty-six days in detention. During this time, the occupation authorities ignored requests for medical treatment. In one case, the so-called “Ministry of Interior” in the occupied territories ignored a request to send a machine needed to treat severe sleep apnea in one of the defendants.

In light of this serious escalation by the Turkish authorities, we call on the State Department, through the United States Embassies in Nicosia and Ankara, to take action against those responsible in the occupied territories, demanding the immediate release of the Greek Cypriots illegally detained for exercising their human right to visit their ancestral homes.

The State Department must also hold Turkey accountable for its ongoing violations in Cyprus and press for an end to the illegal occupation of the island.