Another dead body found on Cyprus’ coast

Another dead body was found washed up on Cyprus’ coast on Monday afternoon, this time near Rizokarpaso.

The finding of the body was announced by the Turkish Cypriot police on Tuesday, who said the body could not be identified, hinting it was in a bad state.

The body was found days after three other bodies in the space of 11 days in and around Cyprus’ northeastern coasts.

“The dead bodies washed up on the shore in recent days and the findings that the clothes on a few of these bodies are Syrian-made point to an urgent and serious humanitarian situation,” the Refugee Rights Association, a non-governmental organisation in the north, said.

“This situation is a reflection of the civil war in Syria and human rights violations in the region, and requires urgent measures to be taken,” it added.

“All persons under persecution have the right to seek and be given asylum in other countries. The right to asylum is one of the most fundamental human rights and principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international law.”

For this reason, it said, it is “of utmost importance” that the north moves to create a legislative framework for asylum seekers and refugees, describing it as an “urgent need”.