I am disturbed by Erdoğan when I say something: Man found homeless in north Cyprus tells court

A man who was arrested on suspicion of being a seditionist (an illegal act of inciting people to resist or rebel against the government in power) in Lefkoşa, north Cyprus said he ran away from Turkey because of president Erdogan.

The 31-year-old man identified as Kayacan Kayış a resident of Lefkosa was brought to court on Wednesday morning.

Police the suspect was found at around 20:50 pm on Tuesday February 25, 2025, in a car park next to the Yiğitler Burcu Park in Lefkoşa, near the wire fences between north and south Cyprus as a result of his suspicious movements.

During a search carried out on him, the police found “3 pairs of unused work gloves, 1 side cutter, 1 pair of pliers, 100 bandages, 2 rolls of plaster bandage kits, 3 nail clippers, 1 tweezer and 1 red felt-tip pen” in his backpack.

Police said he was arrested when he could not provide an explanation about where he was staying and why he was there.

Police stated that the suspect slept in mosques and stayed in hotels for a while, but could not give an address and that the suspect entered the country on February 24 with a tourist visa.

The police said that they would investigate the suspect's purpose in coming and start his deportation procedures.

The suspect, who spoke in court, defended himself by claiming, “I got on a ship and came here, I am an electrician, my aim was to travel for a while and stay and work if I found a job. The tools I had with me were my work equipment. My aim was not to escape to the South. I am disturbed by Erdoğan. When I say something, he immediately has me arrested. I came here to start a new life.”

The judge ordered the suspect to be detained for 2 days.