Alpha News

Concerns Raised Over Potential Transfer of Simon Aykut

Published February 10, 2026, 17:33

T/C candidate for the Lefkosia (Nicosia) constituency, Oz Karahan, expresses strong concerns about the potential transfer of Simon Aykut, who was convicted of illegally constructing settlements on occupied Greek Cypriot properties, to Israel. Aykut is allegedly responsible for building 10,000 homes on land belonging to Greek Cypriots, contributing to the illegal settlement of approximately 40,000 settlers. Karahan denounces that Aykut initially faced 242 charges, including serious offenses such as money laundering, but his sentence was significantly reduced after an agreement with the authorities, resulting in a mere five-year prison sentence. He believes the sentence is too lenient for the crimes he committed and that a potential transfer to Israel would be an injustice to the displaced Greek Cypriots. Karahan states that pressure is being exerted at the diplomatic level, including interventions from the President of Israel, for Aykut's release. He points out that Aykut holds Turkish, Israeli, and Portuguese citizenship and that he identifies as Turkish, emphasizing his Turkish identity. Karahan and the Union of Cypriots are fighting for the punishment of those who have usurped the property of displaced Greek Cypriots and for the cessation of construction work on it.