A photograph that is being made nationalist for the archetypal clip connected the Greek Cypriot side opens a caller circular of probe into the destiny of a captive from the 1974 Turkish invasion. The antheral is depicted blindfolded and with his hands bound, lasting among Turkish subject unit and successful beforehand of a achromatic Mercedes that is linked to testimonies astir missing persons successful the Agios Dimitrios area, adjacent Mia Milia, extracurricular Nicosia.
The photograph was released by researcher Odysseas Christou, who is appealing to anyone with accusation to assistance place the man. He describes him arsenic a “giant prisoner,” some due to the fact that of his carnal physique and his posture wrong the country of captivity.
According to the investigation presented, helium is astir apt a Greek Cypriot reserve National Guardsman, without equipment, wearing an olive-green uniform, with his eyes covered by achromatic cloth and his hands tied down his back.
The photograph and the 3 figures
Three men tin beryllium seen successful the photographic evidence. The captive stands successful the center. To his close appears a Turkish soldier, apt an officer, afloat equipped, carrying a Thompson submachine weapon and a pistol holster connected his belt. To the near stands a antheral successful civilian covering who, according to the researcher’s assessment, either accompanied the subject portion oregon was connected to a tv unit from Turkey’s authorities broadcaster TRT.
Behind them, a achromatic Mercedes-Benz 230, known arsenic the “Fintail,” a exemplary from the 1960s, is visible. The beingness of the car is peculiarly significant, arsenic the researcher is examining whether it is the aforesaid “black Mercedes” mentioned successful testimonies astir missing persons successful the Agios Dimitrios area.
In specified cases, adjacent a car ceases to beryllium a insignificant detail. It becomes portion of the way of radical who disappeared and of families who, fractional a period later, are inactive searching for answers.
The imaginable determination and clip the photograph was taken
According to Odysseas Christou, the photograph is linked to the country astir the chapel of Agios Dimitrios successful Mandres Kaimakliou, conscionable southbound of Mia Milia. The country laic on the axis of the Turkish beforehand during the 2nd signifier of the invasion, aft the illness of the Geneva talks and the motorboat of “Attila 2” connected August 14, 1974.
The investigation accompanying the work of the papers estimates that the photograph was taken betwixt August 14 and 17, 1974, with August 15 being the astir apt date. Based connected shadows and the presumption of the sun, an day clip framework is considered much probable, astir 18:30 to 19:30, though a greeting changeable cannot beryllium wholly ruled out.
The relation of TRT
According to the aforesaid research, the photograph appears to person been taken by a subordinate of a TRT tv unit led by Turkish writer Selim Esen.
Esen had arrived successful Cyprus connected August 11, 1974, and followed Turkish subject movements crossed assorted areas. On August 14, with the commencement of the 2nd signifier of the invasion, helium is believed to person followed Turkish tanks toward Famagusta, passing done Mia Milia, Tymbou airport, and apt the Agios Dimitrios area.
This is peculiarly important, arsenic it increases the likelihood that further footage oregon photographs from the aforesaid country and play whitethorn exist. If found, they could assistance not lone place the antheral successful the photograph but besides reconstruct the last movements of prisoners and missing persons.
The Agios Dimitrios area
According to testimonies cited by the researcher, the Agios Dimitrios country had been turned into a gathering spot for civilians and prisoners. Many residents of Mia Milia, on with refugees from the archetypal signifier of the invasion, had taken refuge successful the chapel and adjacent houses. The men were taken separately, blindfolded and with their hands bound, portion women and children were held successful enclosures successful the area.
Of the 14 missing persons reportedly past seen successful the Agios Dimitrios and Mandres Kaimakliou area, lone 3 sets of remains person been found. About 60 men were taken the pursuing time to Pavlidis Garage arsenic prisoners and aboriginal transferred to prisons successful Adana, portion the women and children were released.
The “black Mercedes” and the missing persons
The “black Mercedes” is besides cardinal to the investigation, arsenic testimonies authorities that 3 missing individuals were seen boarding specified a car connected the day of August 15. They were 28-year-old reserve commando Makis Sergidis of the 211 Infantry Battalion, 23-year-old reservist Evangelos Portis of the 241 Infantry Battalion, and 42-year-old civilian Nikos Kolokasis from Mia Milia.
The aforesaid grounds notes that besides wrong the Mercedes were the past 21-year-old deacon of Archbishop Makarios, Father Theoklitos, and 17-year-old Kostas Giannakas, who disembarked astatine the past infinitesimal pursuing the involution of a Turkish corporal and a Turkish officer. The destiny of the remaining passengers remains unknown.
Call for testimonies
The work of the photograph does not adjacent a case. It reopens it, with the anticipation that idiosyncratic whitethorn admit the captive oregon supply accusation astir the way of the achromatic Mercedes. Odysseas Christou is calling connected anyone with cognition to assistance successful the investigation, arsenic the individuality of the blindfolded antheral remains unknown.
Fifty-two years aft the invasion, specified grounds serves arsenic a reminder that the contented of missing persons does not beryllium to the past successful the mode nationalist sermon often finds convenient. For families, each photograph, each name, each testimony, and each forgotten framework tin beryllium the opening of an reply that has been inhumanly agelong delayed.
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