The need to intensify efforts to determine the fate of Cyprus’ missing persons and to make use of new photographic evidence and testimonies that have recently come to light was highlighted during an event held on Wednesday at the European Parliament in Brussels.
The event, named ‘New Findings and Testimonies about Missing Persons of Cyprus’, was organised by DIKO Member of the European Parliament Costas Mavrides, with the participation of MEPs, former prisoners of war from 1974, relatives of missing persons and representatives of the European Commission.
In his address, the MEP stated that approximately 800 Greek Cypriots and nearly 200 Turkish Cypriots remain missing, mainly as a result of the Turkish invasion of 1974, describing the issue as a purely humanitarian one.
He noted that the event focused on new photographic evidence and testimonies relating to incidents that took place in mid-August 1974 in areas of Cyprus that are currently under Turkish occupation.
The MEP stressed that the purpose of the event was to reaffirm the call for the recovery of the remains of the missing persons and for the full clarification of the fate of those who are still unaccounted for.
He added that all Cypriots, regardless of community, have the right to know what happened to their loved ones.
The MEP reiterated the need to exert pressure on Turkey to cooperate substantively with the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus, regardless of the unresolved political issues that remain.
In this context, he referred to two longstanding requests: the opening of the archives of the Turkish military from 1974 and permission for excavations to be carried out in military zones located in the occupied areas.
At the same time, he put forward a third request concerning access to photographic and other documentary material held by the Turkish authorities.
In a second intervention, the MEP remarked that the moment we stop searching for our missing persons, we ourselves will become the missing persons of our history and our homeland.
New evidence can contribute to the historical record of events
During the event, researcher Odysseas Christou presented the findings of his research on the missing persons and prisoners of war of the 1974 Turkish invasion through photographic material, stressing that new evidence and testimonies can contribute both to the historical documentation of the events and to ongoing efforts to determine the fate of individuals who remain missing.
He explained that the research is based on photographic and audiovisual material recorded mainly by Turkish journalists during the Turkish invasion, as well as on testimonies from survivors and relatives of missing persons.
He added that part of this material allows for the re-examination of both known and previously unknown cases, as well as the identification of individuals appearing in photographs and film footage from the days of the invasion.
Concluding his presentation, he appealed for access to additional photographic and archival material that may be in the possession of the Turkish authorities or other institutions. He expressed the view that new evidence could help clarify the fate of missing persons and provide answers to their families, more than fifty years after the events of 1974.
Challenges in locating missing persons remain
The President of the 1974 Association of Prisoners of War, Vassos Christou, spoke about his personal experiences as a prisoner of war and the difficulties that efforts to locate missing persons continue to face more than fifty years after the Turkish invasion.
He placed particular emphasis on the challenges involved in investigating potential burial sites in the occupied areas. As he explained, approximately 80% of the locations considered potential sites for the recovery of human remains are situated within areas designated as military zones, significantly limiting the possibility of conducting excavations and investigations.
Different aspects of the same humanitarian tragedy
Former prisoner of war Nikos Papanastasiou linked the issue of the missing persons with the experiences of those who survived captivity during the Turkish invasion, stressing that they do not constitute separate chapters of history but are part of the same humanitarian tragedy.
He described incidents of violence during his detention, stating that he was subjected to beatings, threats and psychological pressure, while referring to conditions that created an intense sense of fear and uncertainty about his survival.
‘A soldier struck me violently on the head with the butt of his rifle. Blood immediately began running down my face and I lost consciousness for a few seconds. When I regained consciousness I found myself facing kicks, insults, humiliation and abuse. I remember the marks left by cigarette burns on my neck. I remember the fear,’ he said.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Since then, the fate of hundreds of people remains unknown.
A Committee on Missing Persons has been established, upon agreement between the leaders of the two communities, with the scope of exhuming, identifying and returning to their relatives the remains of 492 Turkish Cypriots and 1,510 Greek Cypriots, who went missing during the inter-communal fighting of 1963-1964 and in 1974.
According to statistical data published on the CMP website by February 28, 2026 out of 2002 missing persons 1,714 were exhumed and 1,065 were identified. Out of 1,510 Greek Cypriot missing persons 764 were identified and 746 are still missing. Out of 492 Turkish Cypriot missing persons 301 were identified and 191 are still missing.