A court in Cyprus has sentenced Israeli businessman Shimon Mistriel Aykout to five years in prison for illegally developing and selling luxury apartment complexes in the breakaway northern part of the island. The 75-year-old, who also holds Portuguese and Turkish citizenship, pleaded guilty to 40 counts of constructing and selling properties on land owned by Greek Cypriots without their consent. The case highlights the ongoing property rights dispute in Cyprus, which has been divided since Turkey’s 1974 invasion following a coup attempt to unite the island with Greece. Approximately 160,000 Greek Cypriots fled the north, while 45,000 Turkish Cypriots moved from the south to the north. The internationally recognized government in the south has no control over the Turkish-backed north, and Greek Cypriots continue to demand their property rights through UN-mediated talks. Aykout’s company, Afik Group, developed 400,000 square meters of Greek Cypriot-owned land between 2014 and 2024, with an estimated value exceeding €38 million. Despite appeals for his release on health grounds, the court upheld the sentence, emphasizing the severity of the crime. Prosecutors hailed the ruling as a clear message against exploiting stolen property, while Turkish Cypriot leaders warned of potential economic repercussions. The case is part of a broader crackdown on illegal property exploitation in the north, with several other foreign nationals facing similar charges.
Israeli man sentenced to 5 years for illegally selling Greek Cypriot land in breakaway north
