TRNC bans Russian national for creating a criminal organization in the country

A Russian national, Victor Mikhailovich Paniushin, has been banned from the TRNC after he was found to have established a criminal organization in the country. 

Viktor Panyushin, who was arrested and held at the Central prison for a number of months and was wanted for extradition to Russia by the Russian judicial authorities, will be deported to Turkey and then extradited to Russia.

The TRNC Council of Ministers last week declared 65-year-old Victor Mikhailovich Paniushin as a prohibited immigrant, after he was found to have established a criminal organization and committed some crimes in this context.

Panyushin is accused of committing various crimes including running illegal gambling organisations, kidnap and grievous bodily harm.

Viktor Panyushin, also known as Vitya Pan, has a criminal record in Russia, including murder and is wanted by Interpol. He escaped the authorities in Russia and fled to Ukraine where he obtained a Ukrainian passport with a different surname and date of birth.

Panyushin arrived in North Cyprus at the start of 2023 using a Ukrainian passport and stayed in various places in Kyrenia. In May, he entered a hotel in the north with his Russian passport, while using a Ukrainian passport this time. This discrepancy was noticed by the police, Panyushin was arrested in June on charges of “forging documents.” In his statement to the police, Panyushin claimed that he was given a passport by Ukraine under the witness protection programme and that some identity information was changed to avoid recognition. 

Following Panyushin’s arrest, Interpol requested his extradition.

The text of the decision is as follows:

"In the light of the reasons stated in the motion, the Council of Ministers has decided that the person named Victor Mihailovich Paniushin (PANYUSHIN), born on 13.9.1958, was accused of 'establishing a criminal organization', 'organising and managing illegal games of chance', 'deliberately injuring two or more people by a group of people'. In accordance with subparagraph (g) of paragraph (1) of Article 6 of Chapter 105 Law on Foreigners and Immigration, because he is sought by the Russian judicial authorities for the purpose of extradition on charges of 'kidnapping a person by an organized group', he may violate peace, public order, administrative order or public morality. "Evaluating all the findings and facts, it has been decided to declare Victor Mikhailovich Paniushin (PANYUSHIN) as a prohibited immigrant, since he is likely to act in a way that would endanger the state or to arouse hostility among the people of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and against the state, or to intrigue against the authority and power of the state."