Two Turkish Cypriot farmers denied allegations of their involvement in an incident where a Pakistani man was killed by Republic of Cyprus authorites in Potamia, claiming they are being targeted due to past conflicts with Cyprus Police.
Halil Alaslan, 62, and his son Coskun Alaslan told Gıynık newspaper they voluntarily reported to Demirhan (Trachoni) Police Station after learning about the allegations through social media.
“I was spraying pesticides when my son informed me about this. We immediately contacted our police,” said Halil Alaslan, adding that the Republic of Cyprus police’s allegations were unfounded.
Coskun Alaslan said the accusations stemmed from a 2012 dispute with Greek Cypriot police. “They are prejudiced against me and constantly trying to tarnish my name using past incidents as an excuse,” he said.
The pair called for “authorities” in the occupied north to clear their names and threatened legal action over the allegations, which they say they only learned about through social media.
The incident occurred near the buffer zone near Potamia on January 6. Initial Cyprus Police reports indicated the shooting took place while officers attempted to stop a vehicle believed to be involved in a smuggling operation. However, forensic findings suggesting the Pakistani man was shot in the back have contradicted the initial police account.
Moreover, an initial autopsy of the man’s body ruled out foul play. A second autopsy, performed a few days later, found a bullet lodged in the man’s back. State coroner Dr Nicolas Charalambous who performed the fist autopsy has been suspended.
The victim’s body was found in a car parking in Strovolos, around 20 km away from Potamia. Questions remain on how it ended up there.
A 39-year-old man from Cameroon has been arrested in connection with the case, while police are seeking three Turkish Cypriots on suspicion of their alleged involvement.
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