A Turkish Cypriot seeks from the Republic of Cyprus 2 million euro damages for racist attack
According to Turkish Cypriot weekly Cyprus today (22.08.15), a Turkish Cypriot musician, who was beaten and stabbed by Greek Cypriot nationalists at a music festival in Larnaca five years ago is to sue the Cyprus authorities for two million euro.
The paper reports the following:
“Peace activist and guitarist Sertunc Akdogu is to launch a civil lawsuit against the Republic of Cyprus for failing to protect its citizens over the attack during the Larnaca Rainbow Festival on November 5, 2010.
Speaking to this paper, Mr Akdogu said: ‘No one has ever been held to account. We are seeking two million euro in compensation and my main fear is that there is a time limit on opening a case which is fast approaching.’
Mr Akdogu and fellow musician Serhan Oncal were trapped in a side street by around 10 masked, black-clad nationalists armed with knives and baseball bats while trying to escape a riot which broke out during a festival speech on diversity by European Commission representative Androulla Kaminara.
The riot at the Phinikoudes promenade venues was sparked by a counter-demonstration by nationalist organisations including the Hellenic Resistance Movement, the Pan-Cyprus Anti-Occupation Movement, Cyprus Salvation and then DIKO MP Zaharias Kulias.
Mr Akdogu said: ‘They saw our guitars and went for us. I was protected by my guitar on my back, which was smashed to bits, but as I covered my head, one of them stabbed me in the side’.”