CONSTANDINOS Candounas, the lawyer at the forefront of the case against a British couple living in a Greek Cypriot property in Lapithos, was yesterday detained by authorities in the north on suspicion of “harassing” foreign nationals residing in the breakaway regime.
He was released later in the day, and is to appear in a court in the occupied territories on May 12 to answer the charges.
Candounas was detained at the Ledra Palace checkpoint by Turkish Cypriot ‘police’, who then brought him before a magistrate in the coastal town of Kyrenia.
The case dates back to early 2005, when the lawyer was accused of “threatening and provoking” a British woman living in Karmi. Authorities in the breakaway regime claim Candounas was traveling around, warning British nationals living in Greek Cypriot houses that they would lose their properties. This was considered to be “harassment.”
In July last year, Turkish Cypriot authorities announced they were preparing amendments to their laws that could lead to the conviction and imprisonment for up to three years of bailiffs and lawyers who seek to deliver summons in the north.
The proposed amendments – approved by the Turkish Cypriot ‘council of ministers’ – came in the wake of a spate of court summons delivered to a number of foreign nationals and Turkish Cypriots living or running businesses on properties from which Greek Cypriots were forced in the wake of the 1974 Turkish invasion.
Yesterday, the Turkish Cypriot prosecutor involved in the Candounas case told the Mail that the lawyer was “not arrested”, simply ordered to appear in court on May 12.
“This is an old case, which was [temporarily] withdrawn because Mr Candounas was not residing in the country [the occupied areas],” he added.
“When he returned here, we decided to reopen the case. We congratulate him for coming back.”
Meanwhile sources at the ‘Presidential Office’ insisted “the Candounas incident is not related to the Orams case”.
But Candounas yesterday dismissed the affair as a “sham”, guessing that it was “aggravation” for his involvement in the controversial property dispute, which could have broad political ramifications.
“I was crossing over to the north to meet some friends and bring them gifts on account of the Easter holidays.
“I was stopped at the checkpoint, held there for an hour without being told what it was all about, and then I was taken to a court in Kyrenia.
He was then asked to sign a bail document and was released.
“After that, I asked them to escort me back to the checkpoint, but they flatly refused. When I asked what I was supposed to do, they flatly said ‘Do whatever you want’.”
With little money on him, Candounas says he was forced to wander the streets of Kyrenia, hoping to run into someone familiar who could help him out or give him a ride.
“In the end I was forced to ask a lady, whom I had met just once before, to help me,” he told the Mail.
“Of course this is all about pestering me, I know that. I have never been so humiliated in my whole life.”
Candounas said he had visited the north several times in the meantime, and had been told – and was under the impression – that the case had been dropped, especially since the six months for prosecuting had lapsed.
“I really don’t understand where they’re coming from.”
“But I guess we’ll find out on May 12. I’ll be there [in court],” he added.
they think they will stop the prosecutions against people who illegally bought GC properties by bulling our layers?
