Helen Anastasi

[Lobby for Cyprus @LobbyforCyprus]

Solomos Solomou: Murdered for saying 'no’ to Turkish occupation.

Thirty years ago today, on 14 August 1996, protester Solomos Solomou was murdered by Turkey and its subordinate illegal occupation regime.

He was shot as he attempted to climb a flagpole to remove the flag of the illegal occupiers, beyond the UN-administered ‘buffer zone’.

The killing occurred following the funeral of his cousin Tassos Isaak, who was murdered on 11 August by a mob of Turkish occupation forces and other ultra-nationalists.

Both men were internally displaced Cypriots, forced from their homes in Famagusta during the second 1974 Turkish invasion.

The occupation regime’s so-called ‘Agriculture Minister’ Kenan Akin (an illegal Turkish colonist) and the so-called ‘Chief of Special Forces’ Erdal Emanet were filmed shooting Solomos in the face, neck and stomach.

Turkish occupation forces also wounded 11 civilians and two members of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, when they opened fire indiscriminately into the crowd of protesters.

The European Court of Human Rights heavily condemned Turkey. The Court ruled that Turkey violated Article 2 (right to life) of the European Convention on Human Rights and that it ‘failed to carry out an effective criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Solomos Solomou’.

Turkey’s foreign minister bellowed: ‘We will break the hands that are raised against the flag’.

Despite identification, arrest warrants and Interpol Red Notices, the murderers of Tassos Isaak and Solomos Solomou remain at large.

Solomos Solomou (1970-1996).
The struggle for justice continues.

#SolomosSolomou #ΣολωμόςΣολωμού

[Lobby for Cyprus @LobbyforCyprus]

Anastasios (Tassos) Isaak: Murdered for saying ‘no’ to Turkish occupation

Thirty years ago today, on 11 August 1996, peaceful demonstrator Anastasios (Tassos) Isaak was murdered in full view of the UN and international media by Turkey’s occupation forces, Turkish colonists and other ultra-nationalists in the UN-administered ‘buffer zone’ in the Republic of Cyprus.

On 2 August 1996, a group of more than one hundred Cypriot and other European bikers set off from Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate on a rally to draw attention to the illegal Turkish occupation of the northern part of the Republic of Cyprus. As the motorcyclists proceeded through Europe on their way to Cyprus, they were joined by hundreds of European motorcyclists.

Thousands of members of extremist Turkish organisations were transported to the occupied part of Cyprus by the Turkish government to confront the bikers. They were bussed in from the Turkish-occupied areas to the cease-fire line, which is controlled by Turkish occupation forces.

Tassos Isaak (who was ethnically cleansed along with his family by Turkey in 1974), together with other demonstrators, entered the United Nations-controlled ‘buffer zone’ near Deryneia, just south of the Turkish-occupied town of Famagusta.

The reaction of the Turks was brutal. The Turkish mob attacked the unarmed Cypriot protesters. Tassos Isaak, who became trapped in barbed wire was beaten to death by the Turkish mob. More than 40 other protesters were injured.

The European Court of Human Rights heavily condemned Turkey, ruling that Turkish forces and uniformed ‘police’ actively participated in the the mob that beat Tassos Isaak to death.

Isaak v Turkey (European Court of Human Rights judgment 553):
‘The demonstrators, who were unarmed, entered the buffer zone… a mob gathered, comprised of Turkish-Cypriot and Turkish civilians, many of them carrying hunting rifles and air guns, iron bars, wooden sticks, batons, stones and catapults. There were also many Turkish soldiers and “TRNC” [illegal Turkish-occupied area of Republic of Cyprus] policemen armed with automatic and other military weapons. According to the report by UNFICYP, the Turkish forces allowed about 1,000 persons in buses to pass through their 3km military zone and assemble there. Some of them belonged to the “Grey Wolves” organisation… Shots were fired against the Greek-Cypriot demonstrators, some of whom suffered injuries as a result… the mob in the occupied area entered the buffer zone. They were armed with long sticks, batons and iron bars… a group of the Turkish mob, together with uniformed policemen, managed to isolate several Greek-Cypriot demonstrators whom they started beating… about 15-20 persons, including five uniformed policemen, surrounded Anastasios Isaak, who had been isolated in the buffer zone and was unarmed. Anastasios Isaak was thrown to the ground after having being chased. During a period of approximately five minutes he was kicked and beaten continuously on every part of his body and his head with metal and wooden batons… UNFICYP police officer Frank Flood tried to intervene… Anastasios Isaak was already unconscious with blood coming out of his mouth and nose. Officer Flood was also attacked… one of the attackers threw a large stone at Anastasios Isaak's head. This struck Anastasios Isaak on the right hand side of his head…’

Despite identification, the murderers of Tassos Isaak and Solomos Solomou (murdered 14 August 1996 by Turkey and its subordinate regime in the occupied areas) remain at large.

#TassosIsaak #TassosIsaac #ΤάσοςΙσαάκ #Cyprus

[Lobby for Cyprus @LobbyforCyprus]

Cyprus after 52 years: The ongoing illegal Turkish occupation and undelivered justice 🇨🇾

Fifty-two years have passed since Turkey brutally invaded the Republic of Cyprus on 20 July 1974. Ankara claimed that its invasion was a response to the coup carried out in Nicosia five days earlier, on 15 July 1974, by forces acting under the direction of the military junta then governing Greece.

That pretext disappeared when the second Turkish invasion began. On 14 August 1974, just three weeks after the collapse of both the coup regime in Cyprus and the junta in Athens, Turkish forces launched a second invasion without even any purported ostensible pretext. The invasion completed what was plainly a pre-planned and deliberate seizure of sovereign territory belonging to the Republic of Cyprus. By the time a ceasefire was declared on 16 August 1974, the message was unmistakable: military force had overridden the rule of law and human dignity had been treated as expendable.

📖 Read the full analysis here: https://t.co/wQlUzkaKTM

📌@UNHumanRights @UN @CyprusinUN @CyprusMFA @Christodulides @EU_Commission @eucopresident @Europarl_EN

#FreedomforCyprus #TurkishTroopsOut #Cyprus #Δενξεχνώ

[Lobby for Cyprus @LobbyforCyprus]

Cyprus 1974–2026: In pursuit of justice 🇨🇾

Registration is still open for our seminar examining the ongoing struggle for restitution, justice and the right of return in Cyprus. Secure your place to hear from our panel of experts.

📅 Wednesday 22 July 2026
⏰ 6:30pm
📍 High Commission of the Republic of Cyprus
(13 St James's Square, London SW1Y 4LB)

Click the link to register: https://t.co/rl5FYjenOV

#Cyprus #FreedomforCyprus #HumanRights #Δενξεχνώ

[Lobby for Cyprus @LobbyforCyprus]

The horrors of the 1974 invasions of Cyprus by Turkey: mass murder, torture, rape.

A survivor’s testimony reveals the harrowing brutality of the Turkish invaders:

‘They made us sit under an olive tree. They set the guns around us. The Turks who captured us were many and armed to the teeth. We knelt under the olive tree. Facing us was a chapel of Archangel Michael and we prayed to him to save us. Later other Turks came bringing with them an officer. He said, he didn't speak English or other language except Turkish …a woman got up, she came from Achna, a mixed village and she said she could speak Turkish. "We are captives, only women and children. You have to respect us." And immediately the Turk said: “No, we shall execute all of you. All of you." And the woman said to us: "He said they are going to execute all of us." "No! No!" the women screamed. And we all began yelling: "No, you can't do such a thing. We are women and children, defenceless. You have to respect us!" "No", said the officer. You will all be executed." And he got up and left. He gave the order to the other Turks and he left. Immediately the Turks told us to get up and start walking in twos. I was holding tightly onto my husband. He was carrying the baby, Yiannis. I was carrying my daughter and we were walking. Then, they hit us with rifle butts and ordered us to walk in threes. When we filed into threes they ordered us to walk in twos again. In this confusion, when they were pushing us forwards and backwards they started shooting. I saw a man being shot. He was near the olive tree. He fell to the ground. Holding onto the trunk he raised himself. I was watching him, they shot him again and he fell. Again the man raised himself for the third time. They shot him again and he fell and I don't remember more than that. I found myself on the ground. I realised the Turks were kicking and butting me to get up. And I at once was holding my daughter tightly to my chest like this so as to not hear and see. And when I realised that I was alive I thought I should get up and look for my husband. I turned to look at my child to see whether she was alive or dead in my arms. I saw her opening her eyes. And immediately I took courage and got up and ran. I saw my husband in front of me falling to the ground. As I ran to him to touch him a Turk grabbed me and threw me aside. And I was yelling: "My husband, my baby!" And I saw my son lying wounded on my husband. A Turk picked up the baby and threw it to the ground. I ran up to my husband again. The Turks pushed me back again. I ran to pick my baby up. A young woman whom they were chasing to rape, had already picked it up. But they took the baby from her, threw it aside and raped her. I can't go on.'

From: 'Our wall/Το τείχος μας/Duvarimiz'

Watch the clip below to bear witness to an atrocity the world tried to ignore.

#FreedomforCyprus #Cyprus #HumanRights #Δενξεχνώ

[Lobby for Cyprus @LobbyforCyprus]

🎟️ Register for ‘Cyprus 1974–2026: In pursuit of justice’ here:
https://t.co/rl5FYjenOV

[Lobby for Cyprus @LobbyforCyprus]

CYPRUS 1974–2026: IN PURSUIT OF JUSTICE 🇨🇾

Fifty-two years since the Turkish invasions of the Republic of Cyprus and the forced displacement of thousands of Cypriot citizens, this Lobby for Cyprus seminar addresses the ongoing illegal Turkish-occupation in the northern part of the Republic of Cyprus and the unwavering struggle for human rights.

Join leading experts on Wednesday 22 July 2026 for a critical discussion on restitution, justice, humanitarian law, the right of return and property rights.

Speakers:
🎙️ Dr Kyriacos Kouros (High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus to the UK), Dr Theodora Christou @Dr_Theodora (LSE/QMUL/EuroMed Rights), Nick Yiannoullou @NYiannoullou (Eptakomi Association UK), Savvas Pavlides (author), Elias Dinenis PhD (Emeritus Professor).
👤 Moderated by Theo Theodorou (Lobby for Cyprus).

📍 High Commission of the Republic of Cyprus in the UK, London @CyprusInUK | ⏰ 6.30pm BST.
🎟️ Free entry (refreshments provided).

👇 Register for this event via the link below.

#Cyprus #HumanRights #InternationalLaw

[Aspals Legal @AspalsLegal]

The @UN backed plan for a bi-zonal federated state for Cyprus, within the EU, is a sign that it is tired of the "Cyprus problem" and is prepared to legitimise Turkey's flagrant violation of international law, its war crimes, crimes against humanity and its continued illegal occupation and abuse of the rights of Greek Cypriots living in the illegally occupied areas.

This plan would also legitimise the demographic changes through the importation of mainland Turks to the illegally occupied part of Cyprus and the occupation and appropriation of Greek Cypriot property.

Crime pays.

The EU is of a similar view. But, it does not truly appreciate the consequences for the EU of what it is approving, as another doorway will open for migration into the EU.

It sees this as an easy "fix".

Another threat to Orthodox Christianity and Orthodox Christians and Christian heritage.

Will there be a smooth transition? Will both "communities" live in harmony? Or, rather, will it be two separate states merely sharing a common flag under the veneer of a federal government which will be manipulated to extract the most favourable treatment by shouting discrimination?

Cyprus has been occupied by foreign invaders throughout its history. An island with 3,000 years of Greek heritage - starting with Mycenaean Greeks - and Greek language is now submitting to an aggressor - and the world looks on with approbation - even Greek Cypriots are supporting it.

And what of the British? What will be the ramifications for the areas of Cyprus territory they occupy, in the Sovereign Base Areas, in a "united Cyprus"? If the British military stays, the Turks may want to do the same with their forces. Yet, the "united Cyprus" will be EU territory. The British are not planning to leave, just to hand back some of the land it occupies. That is not a recognition of sovereignty. It is a perpetuation of Imperialism.

It makes one wonder, as the older generation that fought for independence fades away into history, how quickly the younger metropolitan elites have become seduced by materialism over φιλότιμο

[Clive Lewis MP @labourlewis]

An Observation on Angela Rayner and the Labour Government:

One cannot help but feel a measure of sympathy for Angela Rayner. I know her well enough to say that she came into politics for the best of reasons: a desire to serve, a determination to improve the lives of people whose struggles she understood from her own experience.

But the further up the ladder one climbs in politics, the more insistent the temptations become. This is not simply about individual weakness or personal failing. It is structural. Over the past 40 years, Britain has built a society in which consumption, status, and proximity to wealth have become defining features of the political class. The gravitational pull of money is now so great that even those who arrive in Westminster with the clearest sense of purpose find their heads turned.

Angela’s story is not unique. She came from humble beginnings, but the wealth that circles political life today is more concentrated, more brazen, and more intrusive than in the past. The old checks and balances, party rootedness in mass membership, trade union accountability, a press less entangled with oligarchic interests, have all weakened. Where once honour, public service, even a sense of historical duty could command respect, today those values are dimmed in comparison to the pursuit of material position.

The mechanism is subtle but relentless. It is not corruption in the brown-envelope-under-the-table sense. It is the slow, almost invisible turning of heads. You are introduced to those who walked this path before you, former ministers who now sit comfortably in boardrooms or on the payroll of consultancies with six and seven-figure salaries. You are invited to corporate boxes at sporting events, to private dinners, to concerts and premiers. Lavish clothes or spectacles can be “within the rules,” provided they are declared. But by then the damage has been done.

The message is implicit but unmistakable: play the game, listen to us, and you too can enjoy more of this. The logic creeps into your personal life. You stretch to buy the house that can host the right gatherings. You measure your worth by the standards of a world that equates success with possessions and proximity to privilege. And once you are on that path, it is hard to step off.

This is, of course, a simplification of a complex socio-economic and political process. But as someone who came from a council estate myself, I see it all around me in Westminster. And it is not going to be changed by media witch-hunts, the tutting of ethics advisers, or even the occasional burst of public outrage.

As Gladstone once warned, “Nothing that is morally wrong can be politically right.” But in our current system, what is morally questionable is too often normalised, excused, and rebranded as “just the way things are.”

Real change will only come from a collective decision to choose a different path: to stop outsourcing our state to private interests, to end the revolving door between government and corporate boardrooms, to challenge the idea that the role of politics is to serve vast concentrations of wealth.

We can choose differently. We can once again put community, solidarity, and public service at the heart of our political life. We can insist that worth is measured not in the size of one’s house or the company one keeps, but in the contribution one makes to society and the integrity with which one serves.

Until we do, until we decide as a polity to hold up those values rather than the glittering prizes of private gain, hese scandals will not just recur. They will define the very character of our politics.

[Furkan Gözükara @FurkanGozukara]

The most shameless apertheid state ever

[Helen Anastasi @HelenAnastasi]

@MotazSaleh2001 @phylmurphy .

[sarah @sahouraxo]

“Israel’s attack will most likely take place tonight against the flotilla.”

“We need you!”

— Franco-Palestinian MEP Rima Hassan, aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla

https://t.co/BOqGBUlhxD

[Helen Anastasi @HelenAnastasi]

@tech604boy @redkeeks .

[Dick Mackintosh🌹#StopTheWar @DickMackintosh]

DO SOMETHING BEFORE WE'RE MURDERED!

[Helen Anastasi @HelenAnastasi]

Chris Hedges: The Martyrdom of Charlie Kirk https://t.co/ppdJIZdEeV via @YouTube

[Consortium News @Consortiumnews]

Chris Hedges: Gaza & Fake War Reporting

https://t.co/dbJW3YGShE

The barrage of Israeli lies amplified and given credibility by the Western press violates a fundamental tenet of journalism, the duty to transmit the truth to the viewer or reader.

[Lobby for Cyprus @LobbyforCyprus]

Tickets are still available for screening of two films from #Cyprus: 'When the Swallows Fall Silent' & 'Milk – Rose short film' 2 Sep 2025 18:30 @arthouseN8 London (in Greek with English subtitles). Media sponsors @LGR1033 & @LobbyforCyprus Info/booking: https://t.co/LrQhN2KAMO

[Miners Strike @Miners_Strike]

Arthur Scargill did try to warn us

[Dr Julia Grace Patterson💙 @JujuliaGrace]

I’m tweeting this to over 240,000 brilliant people who care about the NHS. If everyone donated £1, we’d hit our goal in 5 mins. Can we do this? Please help us hold politicians to account! 💙🚨
https://t.co/iTekvFgKEi

[Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur oPt @FranceskAlbs]

4. So far, financial considerations and interests seem to have prevailed over full compliance with int'l law and ethical commitments.

May this be the time of real change and full compliance with int'l law and ethical principles.

If not Norway, who? If not now, when?