Larnaca district court on Thursday jailed a 38 year old Somali woman for two months for entry through an illegal airport. A 15 year old girl, also from Somalia, was given a suspended sentence after being found guilty of the same offence.
Earlier the two had implored the court not to jail them for crossing into the Republic of Cyprus, after having landed at the illegal airport of Tymbou in the Turkish-occupied north. They said they had been forced to leave Somalia after facing death threats.
In tears, the 38 year old she had been threatened by her husband and the rebels to go with them or be killed. She also said that the husband had killed one of her sons, so she took the other two and fled, using $5000 given to her by her blind mother. She said she had no idea where she was when she initially arrived at Tymbou airport and had ended up in a flat in Larnaca where she was discovered on November 4 and charged with illegal entry. She appealed not to be deported to Somalia “because they will slit her throat.”
The 15 year said her father had been killed and she had sought refuge in Cyprus. Judge Natalie Talaridou said the issue of Somali and other refugees was a massive humanitarian problem. But she said that illegal migration must be averted, since if the waves of illegal migrants continue, Cyprus’ territorial integrity would be put at risk.
She sentenced the older woman to two months in jail and the younger one, two months in jail suspended for three years.
Cyprus: Woman jailed for two months for entry through an illegal airport
