Enta Hatjier Akkor's citizenship case referred to the ECHR

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has agreed to review the citizenship application of Enta Hatjier Akkor, marking a significant step in an 11-year legal battle. Born to a mixed marriage, Akkor applied for Republic of Cyprus citizenship in 2004, but after receiving no response for a decade, she filed a lawsuit in 2015. Akkor noted that the lack of citizenship status forced her to pay international student tuition fees while attending university in the Netherlands. Her legal counsel informed her that the ECHR’s decision to hear the case on its merits is a rare and promising development. The case has received public support from the Turkish Cypriot Teachers' Union (KTÖS) and the Public Officials' Union (KTAMS), which have described the issue of citizenship for children of mixed marriages as a systemic societal problem. Akkor, who now has a 12-year-old son, views the court's involvement as a potential resolution to her long-standing legal status. Her father had moved to the northern part of Cyprus in 1975, where he married her mother. The case highlights ongoing administrative challenges regarding citizenship rights for families in the region.