Denktash ‘minister’ on Interpol list over Solomou killing

By Jean Christou

TWO SENIOR ‘officials’ of the Denktash regime have been put on Interpol’s list of those wanted for questioning in connection with the death of Greek Cypriot protestor Solomos Solomou.

According to yesterday’s Turkish Cypriot press ‘Agriculture Minister’ Kenan Akin and ‘Commander of the Special Police Force’ Erdan Emanet are being sought in connection with the killing.

Solomou, 26, was shot three times while climbing a Turkish flagpole on August 14 last year in the Dherynia buffer zone.

Six international arrest warrants were issued by the

government last year for five Turks and Turkish Cypriots suspected of involvement in the killing.

Bullets from two different types of gun were found in his body.

Warrants have been issued against Akin, Emanet, Turkish Cypriot ‘police chief’ Atil Asan, the former commander of the Turkish forces in Cyprus Hassan Kundakci, and the commander of the 28th Turkish Army division, Mehmet Karli.

Akin was made ‘agriculture minister’ three days after the killing. He is clearly seen in news photographs standing on a balcony pointing his pistol at Solomou.

In an interview with Turkey’s Sabah daily newspaper and on Star TV on Sunday night, Akin reportedly said: “I didn’t do it and I was not at the scene of the event. But had I been there, I would have done this honourable deed.”

In a previous interview, Akin called Solomou “a dog”.

Turkish Cypriot papers said yesterday numerous phone calls protesting about Akin’s statements had been received by the TV station.

Sabah said the Greek Cypriots have offered a reward for Akin’s arrest “in order to mobilise both police and citizens should Akin leave the confines of the TRNC”.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.