Arrest for Illegal Crossing into Occupied Territories – "Wanted to go to Turkey"

A man was arrested by the "police" of the occupied territories on charges of crossing the barbed wire near a Nicosia checkpoint. According to the "police," the suspect, a resident of the free areas, jumped over the barbed wire on the western side of the checkpoint, violating the First Degree Prohibited Military Zone.

The suspect was identified and arrested in Nicosia on Wednesday. Immigration checks showed that there was no record of entry or exit into the occupied territories. He is allegedly a Syrian national.

According to Turkish Cypriot media, the man was brought before a "court" and sentenced to one month in prison, as he had no legal ties to the occupied territories and there was a risk of escape. He claimed he wanted to seek refuge in Turkey.