Two detained for illegal residency: Judge blames employers for victimizing foreign workers

Two Pakistani nationals who were arrested for living in north Cyprus without a resident permit were found to have been victimized by their employers.

The individuals, NA and SF were identified and arrested last week after they were found to be living illegally in the country.

They were taken to the Lefkosia district court on Monday July, 1.

Police said that the suspect NA was arrested at around 1.50pm and SF at around 11.30pm on Friday last week when they came to the Immigration Branch of the Lefkosia Police Department to obtain an entry-exit document.

During immigration check, it was determined that NA had lived illegally in the TRNC for 301 days since March 1, 2023, and SF had lived illegally in the TRNC for 81 days since April 8, 2024.

Police stated that the necessary investigation had been carried out on both suspects.

Speaking in court, the suspect NA said, “I work at a workplace in Lefkoşa. I provided all the documents, including the entry-exit document, for a work permit. I asked for my work permit every week. I constantly sent messages on WhatsApp. I asked many times. The other day they told me that I needed to get another entry-exit document. When I went to the police and got the document, I was arrested.”

The second suspect SF said, “I work at a workplace in Alayköy. They made me work for 40 days, paid me less, and on top of that, they did not give me a work permit.”

Evaluating the testimony given in court, the judge decried how most people who have a residence permit are victimized by their employers.

The judge mentioned that the police should investigate the employers while the investigation is being carried out and ordered that the two suspects be sent to prison for a period not to exceed 20 days, that an investigation be launched against the employers of the suspects, and that a report be submitted to the court.