Cyprus-Forum.com

[Rikos]

I receive the paper form of Cyprus Weekly here in the USA (and I pay more for air postage than for the paper!) I also read 7 on-line news sites about events in Kypros. This evening, I caught the following brief article from CNA:

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Journalists condemn attack against Kanatli by ''Grey Wolves''

Nicosia, Oct 20 (CNA) --- The Executive Committee of the Union of Cyprus Journalists strongly denounced today the criminal attack against Turkish Cypriot journalist Murat Kanatli, who was attacked by the extremist ''Grey Wolves'' organisation, while exercising his journalistic duties.

''This brutal attack is considered by the Union of Cyprus Journalists as a new outrageous crime by the occupation regime against the freedom of Press and expression in the Turkish Cypriot community and is a new evidence of the continuous efforts of the regime to silence every free and democratic voice which is raised against occupation and for the reunification of our country'', a press release by the Union of Cyprus Journalists says.
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I knew the threats were present 2 weeks ago, but this is the first I've heard they were actually put into action.

What is most maddening about this is that I cannot find any other article to tell me about the incident. Is he alive? Is he going to be hospital but expected to recover? Were the attackers caught?

What happened? What is happening? None of the on-line news agencies are posting any information. Would someone in Kypros please give me a short report? And thank you!

[Noname75]

I found this info:

Reporters Without Borders today condemned the beating received by newspaper editor Murat Kanatli from members of an ultra-nationalist group on 17 October in Nicosia and urged the authorities to identify and punish those responsibility, so that a feeling of impunity does not endanger all journalists covering the political situation in Cyprus.

The incident occurred after Kanatli, who edits the opposition weekly Yeni Cag, covered a demonstration held by the ultra-nationalist "Grey Wolves" in protest against the positions adopted by the European Union, United Kingdom and United States on a settlement in Cyprus.

Kanatli subsequently went to the headquarters of the Grey Wolves with the aim of interviewing the group's leader. On his way back to the newspaper's offices, he was attacked in the street by some 30 members of the group, who punched and kicked him and took his digital camera.

The police did not carry out any arrests, but they questioned Kanatli at great length about his reasons for going to the Grey Wolves headquarters. At his request, the police recovered his camera but the Grey Wolves kept the memory card.

Some years ago Grey Wolves did murder a journalist. Their threats are real.

[Rikos]

Thank you for the qick update! I am happy to hear he is alive and talking. I had feared he might be dead or unconcious.