Erhan Arıklı defends 1996 Deryneia killings as matter of honor

Erhan Arıklı, who is wanted by the authorities of the Republic of Cyprus in connection with the 1996 murder of Tassos Isaac, has issued provocative statements regarding the deaths of Isaac and Solomos Solomou in Deryneia.

Arıklı, a leader of the Reunification Party and a figure in the Turkish Cypriot administration, defended the events of August 1996 by framing the defense of the Turkish flag as a matter of “honor, dignity, and recognition.” He responded to critics who questioned if the loss of life was worth a “piece of fabric,” labeling those who hold such views as part of a “Greek Fifth Column” or individuals who do not trust Turkey.

The controversy stems from the 1996 incident where Solomos Solomou was shot while attempting to lower a Turkish flag. Arıklı’s remarks have reignited public debate regarding the impunity of those involved in the killings, occurring thirty years after the unarmed men were killed in the Buffer Zone.