Cyprus Court Jails Hungarians Over Illegal Property Sales in Turkish-Controlled North

A Cypriot court sentenced two Hungarian women to prison terms of 2.5 years and 15 months for illegally brokering the sale of properties in the Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus, originally owned by Greek Cypriots displaced during the 1974 Turkish invasion. The women, a retired beautician and a hairdresser, pleaded guilty to charges of advertising and finding buyers for homes built on seized land without the consent of the registered Greek-Cypriot owners. They used social media to promote sales on behalf of a Turkish Cypriot company, earning commissions through these transactions. This case highlights the ongoing legal and political tensions surrounding property rights in Cyprus, where disputed lands have been redistributed and sold multiple times, complicating reunification efforts. Greek Cypriot authorities have been pursuing more legal action against foreign nationals involved in such disputed property deals, with additional cases pending, further straining relations amid stalled peace negotiations. The court’s verdict, rendered in the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus, underscores the sensitivity of property issues stemming from the 1974 conflict and their impact on efforts to restart talks between Greek and Turkish Cypriots.