29 Years Since the Murder of Tassos Isaac in Deryneia

Today marks 29 years since the murder of Tassos Isaac in the dead zone of Deryneia. On the afternoon of August 11, 1996, during an anti-occupation protest by motorcyclists, Isaac was surrounded and lynched by Turkish Cypriots and members of the Grey Wolves.

The protest was the culmination of a pan-European march starting from Berlin and heading to occupied Kyrenia. At the Deryneia roadblock, Isaac, while trying to help another protester, was fatally attacked.

The Cypriot Police issued international arrest warrants for the murder, but no one has been brought to justice. The European Court of Human Rights condemned Turkey for the case, finding a violation of the right to life.

Three days after Isaac's murder, a group of citizens headed to the roadblock, where Solomos Solomou was shot dead.

Twenty-nine years later, the events remain outstanding issues with history, reminding us that the Cyprus issue is not a theoretical matter.