Cyprus Police have informed the Attorney General, the Ministry of Justice and Public Order and other competent authorities about a decision taken by a Court in Kyrgyzstan to free Erhan Arikli, who was arrested there as suspect for the murder of Tasos Isaac in 1996, and has suggested that a meeting of all competent authorities takes place, with a view to determine further actions by the Republic of Cyprus on this issue.  

Tasos Isaac was killed on 11 August 1996 in the buffer zone, in the area of Dherynia, during an anti-occupation demonstration organized by the Cyprus Motorcycle Federation to protest against the continued Turkish occupation of the northern part of Cyprus. He was kicked and beaten to death by a group of 15-20 people who surrounded him and threw him to the ground. Cyprus Police had issued then arrest warrants against eight people in connection with his murder and requested Interpol’s assistance for their arrest.

In a statement to CNA, Deputy Police Spokeswoman Lefki Solomontos said that at the beginning of September 2012 “we were informed by Interpol Kyrgyzstan that the authorities had located one of the eight suspects in connection to Tasos Isaac’s murder in 1996, for which international arrest warrants have been issued.”  She noted that Interpol Kyrgyzstan asked Cyprus Police to send them photographs, fingerprints and genetic material.

She said that the Police sent photographs of the suspect since they had no fingerprints and genetic material. Furthermore, she noted, that they sent “the international arrest warrant for this suspect translated in Russian, as provided by the international regulations.”

Solomontos said that on September 18, Interpol Kyrgyzstan informed them that this suspect was arrested on the basis of the Red Alert issued after a request by Cyprus Police in connection to Isaac’s murder.

She also said that “in a message today Interpol Kyrgyzstan “has informed us that a court in the country decided yesterday, September 19, not to arrest the suspect, giving various issues for this decision.”

“We have informed the Attorney General, the Ministry of Justice and Public Order and other competent authorities and we have suggested to hold a meeting with the participation of all competent authorities to discuss this issue and to take a decision as regards further actions to be taken by the Republic of Cyprus,” she concluded.