Corruption and racism – US reports human rights concerns in Cyprus
Cyprus’ treatment of asylum seekers was documented as significant human rights issues, in the latest US Department of State report published on Tuesday, which raised the alarm for widespread hate speech.
The 2023 report also detailed investigations surrounding money laundering and ‘golden passports’, highlighting the human rights situation had not significantly changed in Cyprus.
The report highlighted “abusive physical conditions” in prisons, such as gross overcrowding and lacking sanitary facilities.
On treatment of migrants, it cited several incidents of physical attacks by local young men against migrants and asylum seekers including those working in food delivery.
The violence which unfolded in Chlorakas was also mentioned, where “250 mostly hooded and masked individuals physically attacked migrants and refugees in the streets and in their homes, including women and children, causing extensive damage to their properties.”
Discrimination of the Roma community in housing, employment, education, access to public services and health care, and social protection was also included.
The report flagged pushbacks as well as “refoulement of asylum seekers to a country where they would face torture or persecution”.
It cited concerns regarding the “lack of sufficient protections for irregular migrants and the lack of a comprehensive system to monitor hate speech, which the report found was widespread in public discourse.”
Where corruption is concerned, the report highlighted Cyprus’ government “took steps to identify and punish officials who may have committed human rights abuses, although there were limited cases of impunity.”
It underlined investigations and prosecutions were underway against public officials and private entities “suspected of assisting individuals with criminal backgrounds to acquire citizenship or bypass anti money-laundering safeguards”.
In May the government hired two British anti-corruption experts to assist with an investigation involving former and sitting high-ranking government officials because local experts were reluctant to participate.
The report also mentioned investigative journalist Makarios Drousiotis who reported Cyprus’ authorities monitored his communications and employed intimidating tactics after he published a series of books exposing corruption in the government.