Paralimni to mark 30 years since deaths of Tasos Isaac and Solomos Solomou

Paralimni, Cyprus. The 30th anniversary of the deaths of Tasos Isaac and Solomos Solomou will be marked on Saturday with a memorial event attended by President Nikos Christodoulides.

The ceremony will begin at 8pm at the Isaac and Solomou monument on Nikou Psara Street.

Memorial events

Christodoulides is scheduled to deliver a speech at the event, organised by the Paralimni Dheryneia municipality and the Isaac and Solomos Memorial Initiative.

Motorcyclists participating in the memorial events renewed their call for justice and for arrest warrants to be executed against those wanted in connection with the deaths.

Events will continue on Sunday with the 30th annual memorial service at the Church of Agios Dimitrios in Paralimni. Motorcyclists are expected to spend Saturday night at the Dheryneia roadblock before attending the service.

Deaths in 1996

Isaac was killed on August 11, 1996, when Greek Cypriot motorcyclist protesters were met in the buffer zone by Turkish Cypriot counter-protesters who, according to the UN report on the incident, were “accompanied by factions of the Turkish Grey Wolves”.

Isaac became entangled in barbed wire and was beaten to death by Turkish Cypriots and Turks.

Three days later, Solomou was shot dead after Isaac’s funeral when he approached a Turkish military post, attempted to climb a flagpole to remove a Turkish flag and was fatally shot by a Turkish soldier.

President’s comments

Last month, Christodoulides said there had been “developments” concerning the cases and described the deaths as “murders and nothing else”.