Torture of Greek Cypriots
When Tureky invaded Cyprus in 1974 Turkish invasion forces supported by the Turkish Cypriot militias systematically detained and tortured tens of thousands of Greek Cypriots including civilian men, women and childern and subjected them to inhuman and degrading treatment. Nothing was done to prevent the illegal detentions, torture and inhuman treatment taking place because they were part of a deliberate attempt to bring about the destruction of the Greek Cypriots.
In its judgement concerning Turkey's invasion in Cyprus and aftermath (20 JULY 1974 - 18 MAY 1976) the European Commission of Human Rights decided the following:
" The Commission by twelve votes against one,concludes that prisoners were in a number of cases physically ill-treated by injuries and at least in one case the death of the victim. By their severity they constitute "inhuman treatment" and thus violations of Art.3, for which Turkey is responsible under the Convention.
The Commission by twelve votes against one, concluded that the withholding of an adequate supply of food and drinking water and of adequate medical treatment from Greek Cypriot prisoners held at Adana and detainees in the northern area of Cyprus, with the exception of Pavlides Garage & Saray prison, again constitutes, in the cases considered as established and in the conditions described, "inhuman treatment" and thus a violation of Art.3, for which Turkey is responsible under the Convention" (Report, pp.165-166) The Commission did not find sufficient evidence that prisoners held in these two locations in the Turkish sector of Nicosia were guarded by Turkish soldiers - as opposed to Turkish-officered Turkish Cypriot "forces" (para. 308)
"The evidence obtained established that, in a considerable number of cases prisoners were severely beaten or otherwise physically ill-treated by Turkish soldiers" (Report, para.393) The Commission, by twelve votes against one,concludes that the written statements submitted by the applicant Government constitute indications of ill-treatment by Turkish soldiers of persons not in detention" (Report, p.166)
" The Commission has found violations of a number of Articles of the Convention. It notes that the acts violating the Convention were exclusively directed against members of one of the two communities in Cyprus, namely the Greek Cypriot community. The Commission concludes by eleven votes to three that Turkey has thus failed to secure the rights and freedoms set forth in these Articles without discrimination on the grounds of ethnic origin, race and religion as required by Art.14 of the Convention (Report, para. 503)
According to international law this continues a crime of genocide perpetrated by Turkey against the Greek Cypriots under Article 2 (b) of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, by "Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group".
