Two Greek Cypriots fined after illegal entry into military zone in the north

On July 12, 2026, two 19-year-old Greek Cypriots, a man and a woman, were detained by authorities in the north after crossing through the Pyrgos-Limnitis checkpoint without undergoing mandatory immigration checks. Turkish Cypriot authorities alleged the pair breached a military restricted area. The detainees, one of whom is reportedly a National Guard conscript, were arrested later that day while attempting to return to government-controlled areas via the Astromeritis checkpoint. Following a three-day remand, a military court in Nicosia ordered each of the two youths to pay a fine of 500 Turkish Lira (approximately 9.43 euros) on Thursday. Their legal representative stated the incident was accidental, noting the pair mistakenly followed a vehicle ahead of them without realizing they had bypassed control procedures. The suspects pleaded guilty to charges of violating a military zone and illegal entry. The government of the Republic of Cyprus was informed of the situation and initiated diplomatic efforts to secure the release of the two individuals.