Two foreigner arrested for living in north Cyprus illegally: Both faces deportation

A 24-year-old individual who was arrested for staying in northern Cyprus without a residence permit, was brought before the court today.

The individual named only as H.A., a Syrian national was charged with illegal residency.

Police officer who presented the case in court stated that the suspect was identified during a search conducted by narcotics teams on February 12, 2025, at around 5:30 PM at an address in the Göçmenköy area of Lefkosia.

During an immigration check, it was determined that the suspect had been residing in northern Cyprus without a permit for 366 days. 

The police reported that statements still needed to be taken and that they would investigate whether the suspect had committed any crimes during the period of illegal stay, requesting an additional day for detention.

The suspect’s lawyer stated that his client wanted to purchase his own ticket and return to Syria as soon as possible. 

Considering the testimony, the judge ordered the suspect to remain in custody for one more day.

In a similar development, a 28-year-old man, a Congo national was also brought to court on Thursday after he was arrested for being in the country without a permit.

The suspect identified only as M.U, was arrested at around 4:30 PM on February 11, 2025 on Hasan Tahsin Street in Lefkosa.

During immigration check, it was found that the suspect had been living illegally in Northern Cyprus for 440 days, since November 29, 2023.

The police mentioned that a letter would be sent to the Civil Immigration Department to facilitate the suspect's deportation and requested that the suspect remain in custody for two days.