Larnaca, Cyprus. Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman criticised the Republic of Cyprus over the apparent prevention of a planned Eid al-Fitr visit to the Hala Sultan Tekkesi. He said the matter has been raised with United Nations officials.
Erhurman statements and UN engagement
In statements issued on social media on Sunday, Erhurman said preventing visits to the Hala Sultan Tekkesi is unacceptable. He added that the issue has been raised with United Nations officials and would be conveyed to all levels of the international community.
Requests submitted through UNFICYP
The apparent refusal occurred on Saturday after a series of requests submitted through the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus were rejected. According to the north’s ‘foreign ministry’, an initial request for March 21 was declined, followed by further proposals for March 22 and March 28.
Participation limits and security reasons
The ‘ministry’ said that despite efforts made, the request to visit the Hala Sultan Tekke was rejected at the last minute. It said earlier visits involved between 300 and 500 participants, while this year’s plan was scaled down to 105 people before being further limited to one bus, citing security reasons.
Response from the north’s ‘foreign ministry’
The ‘ministry’ described the final decision as arbitrary and said it constitutes a restriction on freedom of worship.
Request for comment
The Cyprus Mail attempted to contact the government for comment regarding the circumstances of the incident.
What is your view on how requests for religious visits to Hala Sultan Tekkesi should be handled?
