Sude Doğan - Weekly Articles (Haftalık Yazılar)

  "The Bill on 'Punishing Fake News' in Cyprus: A Threat to Freedom of Expression?" A proposed bill in Cyprus, aimed at penalizing the online dissemination of fake or offensive content, has sparked serious debate. The law has raised major concerns among human rights defenders and freedom of expression activists, who fear it may restrict free thought and communication. Recently, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression, Irene Khan, warned that the proposed changes to Cyprus’s Penal Code could have a “chilling effect” on freedom of expression. The bill envisions heavy penalties to prevent the spread of fake news and the circulation of defamatory content in online environments. Proposed sanctions include hefty fines and even prison sentences of up to five years for individuals who send fake messages or share disturbing, obscene, or threatening content. One of the most criticized aspects of the bill is the use of vague terms like "causing distur...

Which Is More Important in the North of the Island: The Universality of Human Rights or the Sweetness of Loot? Imagine a place where some of its residents have been making money for 50 years from the sale of lands seized from their rightful owners. They loot the properties there, destroy them, and build new structures... And the rightful owners of the lands, due to these illegal actions, begin prosecuting these people in local courts. A rightful action, isn’t it? Now, what if I told you that the people conducting these illegal sales are actually protesting these prosecutions, claiming they are wrong, and demanding the return of those being prosecuted in court? I can hear you saying, "That’s an exaggeration, such a thing can’t happen; after all, international law states that these sales are illegal—who would dare go against international law?" Unfortunately, I wish what I’m saying was just dystopian fiction. But a few days ago, a large group gathered at the Metehan crossing in...

The Republic of Cyprus is Elected to the UN Human Rights Council, Fewer Loopholes to Escape… Yesterday, for the first time in history, the Republic of Cyprus was elected to serve on the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2025-2027 term. President Hristodoulides emphasized that this is an important step for the Republic of Cyprus and that being in such positions shows the trust the international community has in Cyprus. As a member of the UN Human Rights Council, the Republic of Cyprus will now be subjected to stricter international scrutiny regarding its human rights practices. This likely means increased attention and monitoring of human rights violations occurring locally in Cyprus. Now, I will present to you, from a different perspective, a topic that has occupied the agenda in both the north and the Republic of Cyprus for a long time: the illegal sale of Greek Cypriot properties in the north. Most clearly, this constitutes a violation of Protocol No. 1, Article 1 of the E...

  What Awaits Turkish Cypriots if a 'Two-State' Solution is Implemented in Cyprus? Yesterday, I watched the speeches of Turkish President Erdoğan and President Christodoulides of the Republic of Cyprus at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Erdoğan's speech particularly caught my attention. His statements regarding the Israel-Palestine issue were quite "strong." As he advocated for the recognition of Palestine, the supremacy of international law, and the immediate end to the war, applause could be heard from the hall. He positioned himself, at least in his speech, on the "right" side of history by speaking about international law… But what about Cyprus? Isn't international law still valid in the case of Cyprus? "International law is not 'à la carte'," said Christodoulides, responding to Erdoğan's proposal for "two equal sovereign states," which Erdoğan has been reiterating at the UN General Assembl...

Is the Removal of the Auditor General a Legal Decision, or Is There Political Motivation Behind It? About a month and a half ago, I decided to take a break from writing and politics. I watched from a distance the developments in both the north and the Republic of Cyprus. I wasn't planning on breaking my silence, but last week, I saw that decision from the Supreme Constitutional Court of the Republic of Cyprus: “The Auditor General has been dismissed.” I felt I had to write about this. Although this topic hasn’t garnered much attention in the north, it caused quite a stir in the Republic of Cyprus. In fact, last Saturday, there was even a protest in front of the Presidential Palace. Undoubtedly, the dismissal of Odysseas Michaelides was a ‘historic’ decision, one that sets a serious precedent for the future. But why was Odysseas Michaelides removed from his position? Was this decision purely a legal one, or was there political motivation behind it? Let’s start from the basics: Accor...

                                                                                  For Now, Goodbye Instead of supporting those who strive for the benefit of our own community, we have made it a habit to lynch them. It's a shame... We say that we are just a handful of people in this country. But as this 'handful of people,' how much do we really think about the future of Cyprus and our own future on this island? When will we understand that we gain nothing by tearing each other apart in this echo chamber, and that unity and collective struggle are essential? The current situation suggests that we may never understand this. If we cannot unite even to a minimal degree, if we cannot raise our voices against the injustices done to us, what...

Last week, following Namık Tan’s speech in the Turkish Grand National Assembly, we began discussing the ‘Blue Homeland’ thesis and its implications for Cyprus. Namık Tan made a resemblance of the ‘Blue Homeland’ thesis to a ‘fairy tale’. He said: “He dreamed of reviving the Ottoman Empire; he didn’t settle for cross-border operations and ventured into overseas adventures. Fortunately, when the economy neared collapse, he quickly abandoned the Blue Homeland fairy tale due to the constraints of circumstances.” One of the biggest issues that could lead two NATO countries, Greece and Turkey, to war is the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) disputes between them. Turkey claims it does not possess the EEZ it deserves in the Mediterranean and Aegean seas, which led to the emergence of the ‘Blue Homeland’ thesis. Naturally, it is nearly impossible for Cyprus not to be involved in a matter concerning the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey, and Greece. Last week, we discussed how the boundaries of the ‘Bl...

Sea Areas, Turkey, 'Blue Homeland,' and Cyprus (1) In my articles, I try to focus on issues that impact or will impact Cyprus and Cypriots in the future, beyond the echo chamber of the northern part of the island. I believe that discussing and debating different issues from various perspectives can invigorate the stagnant status quo we currently experience. I have long wanted to write about the 'blue homeland,' as discussing maritime law has always fascinated me. Recently, the 'blue homeland' has been a hot topic in Turkey. In fact, it has even been added to the school curriculum, from kindergarten to high school, in Turkey. This shows how important it is to the current government in Turkey, doesn't it? While reading Phileleftheros yesterday, I came across an article about the 'blue homeland,' which gave me the push to write this today: CHP Istanbul MP Namık Tan faced backlash from both the ruling party and some members of his own party after calling...

                 How Many More 20 Julys Must Pass Before We See the Solution Is Not in Turkey?      Recently, on July 20th, we had guests from Turkey on our island to “celebrate” what they call the ‘Peace Operation.’ The President of Turkey, the head of his coalition party, and even the leader of the main opposition party were here to commemorate a day that is painful for Cypriots—the beginning of our country’s division. Despite our assertion that “there are no celebrations in sorrow,” they came and held their festivities. They claim to have brought “peace” to Cyprus, even though it involved bloodshed, countless lost lives including Turkish citizens who left their families to come here to fight , and the forced displacement of people, For them, this is ‘peace’ worth celebrating.      Furthermore, Özgür Özel, in a joint statement with the main opposition party in the north side of Cyprus, CTP, declared, “we d...

                 The Real Issues: July 1974, Kissinger, America, and the Cyprus Problem July is a month that reminds Cypriots of their painful past. That's why it's not admired much among the people of Cyprus. Because it was in one of that July that they woke up to the sounds of warplanes in the morning. Because it was in one of that July that they were displaced from their villages. Because it was in one of that July that their homeland was split in two. Fifty years ago, in one of that July, my people were torn apart from the other half of their homeland. It's easy to say, but not easy to live through these 50 years... Time is not always the cure for everything; some pains deepen as time passes. Especially if the wounds continue to be reopened... "There is no holiday for suffering." 15 July 1974. The date when it all started... The day when the military junta in Greece, with the help of EOKA-B, carried out a coup to overthrow the Pr...