Cyprus-Forum.com

[brother]

Lawyer ‘trapped’ by T. Cypriot police
By Simon Bahceli


THE lawyer spearheading landmark legal proceedings against a British couple that has built on Greek Cypriot land in Lapithos was detained by Turkish Cypriot police for several hours yesterday as he sought to cross to the north. He was later charged with “harassment” and for making “provocative threats” against a British woman living in Karmi, in the Kyrenia district.

Constantinos Candounas achieved notoriety at the end of last year when he began legal proceedings against British couple Linda and David Orams. In the trial that followed, a Nicosia court ordered the couple to demolish the house they had built on Greek Cypriot land. The judgment was subsequently set aside, awaiting the outcome of an appeal by the Orams. But Candounas is adamant that if the original order is upheld, and the British couple refuse to comply, the case could be transferred to the UK, from where the courts could potentially seize the Orams’ assets in Britain.

Yesterday’s charges against Candounas followed an incident last Wednesday, during which he was detained and warned by Turkish Cypriot police in Kyrenia not to approach potential targets of his legal campaign.

Ironically, Candounas’ detainment came as he was on his way to a meeting at which, he believed, he would receive assurances from the north’s ‘government’ – represented by head of the public information office Huseyin Ozel - that he would face no further action from Turkish Cypriot police.

Candounas - who is currently representing Meletis Apostolides, a Greek Cypriot denied access to his Lapithos property since the division of the island in 1974, told the Cyprus Mail he was deliberately led into a trap by the Turkish Cypriot authorities.

“It defies belief that one can be invited to what they call the prime ministry to discuss the issue of my security in the north, only to be trapped. I was told my visit would be trouble free,” Candounas said, adding that he was “deeply upset” by the incident.

Ozel, however, strongly rejected Candounas’ claim that he had been led into a trap, telling the Mail, “this is in no way entrapment. My man was waiting to meet him and we had no idea whatsoever that he was about to be arrested”.

Asked whether he would have provided Candounas with the assurances he sought, Ozel said, “I would have warned him about the complaints and explained that his actions were being interpreted as provocative”.

Candounas’ ordeal began as he crossed to the north yesterday afternoon to be met, not only by Ozel’s representative, but also by police who told him he was to be taken to Kyrenia police station.

During his detention in Kyrenia, Candounas was served with two charge sheets, both accusing him of “harassment” and “provocative behaviour” towards a British female resident of Karmi – a Greek Cypriot village now populated almost exclusively by foreigners.

The summons also accused him of seeking to exercise his role as a lawyer in an area that is not covered by the Republic of Cyprus’ jurisdiction and ordered Candounas to appear in court later this month to face a possible £16,000 worth of damages.

Candounas strongly denies the charges lodged by the Karmi resident that he had threatened to open a flood of legal proceedings against foreigners living in the village.
“I have not said these things. There has only been one case filed so far, and that is the Orams case”.

Following his release, Candounas said he had refused to sign papers presented to him because they were in Turkish - a language he does not understand.

“I simply wrote on them that I could not possibly comment, as I didn’t understand,” he said. He did this despite threats from the police that he would be kept at the station overnight if he refused to sign.

Asked whether he would appear in court in the north, Candounas said he would consult lawyers “in both north and south Cyprus” before making a decision.

Speculation abounded yesterday as to whether the police action against Candounas had been instigated by a newly-formed body calling itself the European Property Association of North Cyprus (EUPRO). The group, which says it will seek to defend the rights of foreigners living in Greek Cypriot properties, declared in a north Cyprus English-language publication last weekend, “We are building a war chest, and we shall put that to good use”.

[brother]

I do not know what to make of this, i do not want to start a conspiracy theory but it has to be talked about.
So is this man really harrassing people or is he just trying to get justice for the refugees?

[Viewpoint]

Why is this lawyer constantly in the North of the island????

Why does he approach these English people direct???

What did he expect??? a Mr Popular award?

[brother]

He might be fishing for their names etc. so he can do a land registry check in the u.k to see if they have any assets to see if it is worthwhile his time taking them to court.

Or i do not have the faintest idea why unless he is trying to do scare tactics hoping people will cave in from his first official letter or is that un-official in the north.

[Othellos]

I do not know what to make of this, i do not want to start a conspiracy theory but it has to be talked about.
So is this man really harrassing people or is he just trying to get justice for the refugees?

What do you think, brother?

O.

[brother]

I really am at a loss on this one, i do not know what to make of it hence my asking for opinions from people like your good self Othello.

[boulio]

i personally think its wrong for him to try to solicate names and info in the north without the knowledge of original land owners or consent,however i also find the t/c method of entrapment appauling and justifies the fears of g/c of lack of trust in the t/c authorities.

[Othellos]

I really am at a loss on this one, i do not know what to make of it hence my asking for opinions from people like your good self Othello.

Ah...so you are throwing back my own question

What I think, brother, is that Mr. Constantinos Kandounas is a lawyer who is doing everything he can to protect his client's interests in this case. His client, in turn (Mr. Apostolides) has every moral and legal right to take this case in Court, and I suspect that like Mrs Loizides, he too will also take things as far as he can. What is the real motive behind all these? Justice, for him and many others who are in a similar situation because of the illegal land purchases that some foreigners have made in the occupied areas.

O.

[brother]

Othello i was more interested in the part about his harrasing people in the north? but what you have said sofar i would imagine is the truth but i also think if he gets a result with the Orams case then he would be the number one lawyer on these cases hence earning himself a LOT of money
There is no selfless act and he obviousley knows there is a lot of dosh in this for him hence his eagerness, how many lawyers do you know that work for free or goodwill? but i bet you know many that work for the big money and that is what these cases are.

[Viewpoint]

boulio

i also find the t/c method of entrapment appauling and justifies the fears of g/c of lack of trust in the t/c authorities.

How do we know for sure it was entrapment???his word??he is always in the north amongst the English, he even attended a meeting in the north with 350 English people there discussing the Orams case, they could have lynched him there and then but they didnt.

Plus hes pursuing his case through the courts trying to solve the property issue single handed, so why doesnt he concentrate on that and not disturb people in the north. Dont you think hes fishing for trouble knocking on doors and saying god knows what??? from what we read in the press he can be very rude and belittling.

His place is in the law courts of the south not in Karmi Village.