The "Unidentified" group in north Cyprus seek support for their action on Saturday

The "Unidentified" group, formed by a group of Turkish Cypriots who could not obtain citizenship of the Republic of Cyprus, called for support and participation in the action they will hold on Saturday. 

Within the framework of the action, the group will meet at Ledra Palace on Saturday, November 19 at 9.30am and walk to the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Cyprus.

Görkem Tümkan and Serdar Tarın on behalf of the group, and Doros Polycarpou, President of the Equality Support Anti-Racism Movement (KISA) operating in the south of Cyprus, made speeches at the press conference held at the Solidarity House on Wednesday.

In the speeches, it was stated that the Turkish Cypriots, who have the right to citizenship of the Republic of Cyprus but cannot obtain citizenship, are subjected to systematic discrimination and called on the Republic of Cyprus to abandon this practice, which they define as a violation of human rights.

It was stated in the speeches that they will continue their struggle through legal and judicial means through their lawyers, and that they will bring the issue to the streets, international platforms and the Human Rights Court.

Görkem Tümkan said that as Turkish Cypriots, who have the right to citizenship of the Republic of Cyprus but cannot obtain this citizenship, and their families, they are subjected to systematic discrimination and said, "We are organizing an action to announce that our most basic human rights have been violated."

Tümkan said that on Saturday, the interlocutor of the issue, the Greek Cypriot Administration, would march to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and that it would end with a press release.

Stating that their struggle with political, bureaucratic and legal methods will continue, Tümkan noted that they believe it is time to take action, which is a more effective method. We hope that this action, which we will organize peacefully, as a bi-communal, will also contribute to the struggle for peace and will serve the desire of the island peoples to live together.

Calling all human rights defenders to join the action, Tümkan said, "We set out by saying that mixed marriage is not a crime, and we are rebelling against this unjust punishment imposed on us."

In his speech, Serdar Tarın also mentioned the importance of the citizenship of the Republic of Cyprus for Turkish Cypriots and stated that having an internationally valid identity and passport provides opportunities for travel, education, health, and employment.

Stating that citizenship gains importance in terms of family integrity, parents and children have the same citizenship opportunities, for example, the chance to travel from the same airport, Tarın said, "The government does not arbitrarily and illegally grant citizenship to children born from mixed marriages."

Expressing that they have the legal right to citizenship when either mother or father is a citizen, Tarın noted that a modern state has to act according to the principle of equality before the law.

Tarın said, “This discrimination is done to Turkish Cypriots, as well as to the children of Greek Cypriots who marry an Asian or African person. This openly racist approach is unacceptable. The state cannot impose on its citizens who to fall in love with and whom to marry," he said.

Stating that their freedom to travel and their right to education have been taken away from them, Tarın said, “The principle of not being stateless, which is a universal right of children and protected by the UN, is also violated by the Republic of Cyprus. "Thousands of Turkish Cypriot children have only TRNC identity and are stateless internationally," he said.

Stating that they will continue their struggle through legal and judicial means through their lawyers, Tarın said that they will bring the issue to the streets, international platforms and the Human Rights Court.

Tarın called on the Republic of Cyprus to abandon the practice.

KISA President Doros Polycarpou also announced their support for the action to be held on Saturday and called for everyone who defends human rights to participate.

Stating that they are against all kinds of discrimination in BRIEF, Polycarpou stated that discrimination and illegality are "unacceptable" and mean a violation of human rights.

At the meeting, it was announced that the supporting organizations were:

“Cyprus Turkish Bar Association, Cyprus Turkish Human Rights Foundation, KTAMS, KTOS, Independence Road, Cyprus Socialist Party, KISA; Anonymous Youth Organization, Kadim Education Collective, Baraka Cultural Center”