CRSV: Turkish invasion of Cyprus
This case note documents the occurrence of sexual violence in violent conflict. It contains explicit mentions of different forms of sexual assault. Reader discretion is advised.
Background of the conflict
Starting in 1964, relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots on Cyprus began to break down. The Cyprus National Guard intervened with military force against a perceived militant threat from Turkish Cypriots. This resulted in a direct confrontation with Turkey, which responded militarily but stopped short of an actual invasion. On July 15, 1974, the Cyprus National Guard, under command of the Greek junta in Athens, launched a coup against the democratically elected president. In response, Turkey invaded the northern part of the Republic of Cyprus in response to a military coup on the island. The invasion was intended to contain the coup, which sought to annex the island to Greece. Turkey justified in actions by claiming that it was in line with the Treaty of Guarantee. The invasion comprised two major offensives involving air, land, and sea combat. Eventually, a ceasefire called for, drawing an end to the invasion.
Prevalence of sexual violence
There were several instances of rape and sexual violence carried out by actors on both sides. For instance, after the inhabitants of the Turkish Cypriot enclave of Limassol surrendered to the Cypriot National Guard, the entire quarter was burned and women were raped and children were shot (Oberling, 1982, Grewal, 1994). Greek Cypriot women were who targeted with rape and sexual violence during the invasion of the island (Higgins, 1969). Precise numbers are unavailable, but reports suggest that the number of rapes were so high that the conservative Cypriot Orthodox Church provided temporary permission for abortions to be conducted (ECHR, 1976; ECHR, 1974; Emilianides & Aimilianidēs, 2011).
Basis of the use of sexual violence
Rape and sexual violence were used deliberately to target women and girls on both sides. Such violence was used to “soften the resistance" and to clear civilian areas by forcibly displacing populations through fear. It was also used to intimidate and humiliate groups owing to their ethnicity, with the knowledge that facing sexual violence would result in stigmatization. Sexual violence was also used as a tool to exact revenge particularly by the Turkish Cypriots for the atrocities committed against them in 1964.
References
Emilianides, Achilles C.; Aimilianidēs, Achilleus K. (2011). Religion and Law in Cyprus. Kluwer Law International
Grewal, Inderpal (1994). Scattered Hegemonies: Postmodernity and Transnational Feminist Practices. University of Minnesota Press.
Higgins, Rosalyn (1969). United Nations Peacekeeping: Europe, 1946–1979. Oxford University Press.
Oberling, Pierre (1982). The Road to Bellapais: The Turkish Cypriot Exodus to Northern Cyprus. Boulder: Social Science Monographs.
European Commission of Human Rights, "Report of the Commission to Applications 6780/74 and 6950/75", Council of Europe, 1976.
European Commission of Human Rights, “Report of the Council of Europe on Human Rights in Cyprus, 1974”, Council of Europe, 1974.
