Members of the Cypriot community in the United Kingdom staged a peaceful protest outside the Turkish Embassy on the 52nd anniversary of the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus.
Organised by the Famagusta Association of Great Britain, demonstrators demanded an end to the illegal Turkish occupation, the full withdrawal of Turkish troops, and the return of all refugees to their ancestral homes and properties.
Dr Vasilis Mavrou, President of the Famagusta Association of the United Kingdom, delivered a powerful message during the mobilisation:
“We will continue to fight until every inch of occupied Cyprus is liberated and until we return freely to the land of our fathers. Until that part, we will not compromise with the occupation. We demand the full implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions, the withdrawal of the Turkish occupation troops, and the liberation of all occupied territories. We will never lower the flag of our struggle. We will continue to denounce the violations that Turkey is committing in Cyprus.”
Dr Mavrou added that the community honours the missing persons, the enclaved, the refugees, and all those who have kept the hope of return alive. He stressed the need to support efforts for a just and viable solution to the Cyprus problem under the sovereignty of the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus.
The association highlighted that Turkey continues to occupy 37% of Cyprus, engages in illegal settlement of the occupied areas, and openly disregards United Nations resolutions. Demonstrators called on the international community to keep the Cyprus issue high on the global agenda and to exert pressure for the restoration of human rights and the end of the occupation.
The mobilisation remained peaceful and was attended by members of the broader Cypriot diaspora in the UK.