In October they made him a national hero, in January they arrested him
Turkish Cypriot Havadis newspaper (06.01.13) reports that the “police” of the breakaway regime have arrested a 19-year old Turkish Cypriot named Coskun Alaslan with the accusation of sheep theft and smuggling from the government-controlled to the occupied area of Cyprus. The paper recalls that Alaslan had caused tension between the two communities last October, when he had been chased by three policemen of the Republic of Cyprus on the grounds that he had been carrying out smuggling in the area of Dhali village. The paper notes that the three policemen entered into the occupied area of Cyprus and alleges that they had beaten him up in front of his house.
The “police” of the breakaway regime arrested Alaslan yesterday for smuggling held in the period October 2012 and 1 January 2013.
In statements to Havadis, Alaslan argued that he had bought the sheep and that the only thing he had done is that he passed it illegally into the occupied area of Cyprus. “And this was very easy”, he added noting that the person to whom he sold the sheep new that this was a smuggling. He alleged that he is innocent.
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen (06.01.13) reports that 50 sheep, two rams and 13 new-born lambs, all having a chip by the Veterinary Department of the Republic of Cyprus, were found in the occupied villages of Trypimeni, Knodara and Bogazi.
Under the title “Now apologize to the Greek Cypriot policemen”, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (06.01.13), Alaslan, who had been chased by Greek Cypriot policemen last October up to his house in occupied Louroudjina village, was arrested by the Turkish Cypriot “police” for stealing approximately 60 sheep from the government-controlled area of Cyprus. The paper recalls that Alaslan had not been punished then, while the policemen had been tried both at civilian and military “court”.
Commenting on the issue in his daily column, Afrika’s editor-in-chief, Sener Levent writes that the “national hero” has been proved to be a thief. Levent notes that those, who had almost declared Alaslan as “national hero” in October now are silent.
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibrisli newspaper (06.01.13) covers the issue under the title “The ‘innocent hero’ was arrested”. “He had been declared a hero and innocent by the TRNC administration. Two days ago he was arrested for sheep smuggling”, notes the paper.