Turkish Cypriot social media journalist arrested

Turkish Cypriot social media journalist Serdinc Maypa appeared in court on Friday, accused of violating people’s right to privacy.

Maypa, who had gained a large social media following in the north by publishing his findings and making accusations on Facebook and Instagram, was the object of five separate complaints made to the police regarding privacy violations.

The complaints were made by officials from the north’s electricity authority Kib-Tek, the Cyprus Turkish building contractors’ association, the Development Bank, and two separate insurance companies.

Speaking in court, a police representative said a search of Maypa’s home uncovered a 1000-page document containing data of people who had caught Covid-19.

Maypa was also questioned regarding the various documents he had shared on live broadcasts on social media and said “I know what I did is a crime, but I did it for my country.”

Asked how he came into possession of the documents, he said “storks brought them”.

The police representative said three mobile phones, 226 different documents, two laptops, a safe, and a recording device were all found and taken as evidence.

Maypa was remanded in custody for three days.

Earlier, upon his entry into northern Nicosia’s court complex, he had said “everything will change in this country after I am released”.

He also made reference to his “attempts to reveal human trafficking”.

However, it has at the same time been alleged that Maypa himself may have been involved in the human trafficking trade.