2012 Report on International Religious Freedom - Cyprus: the Area Administered by Turkish Cypriots

Since 1974, Turkish Cypriots have administered the northern part of the island. In 1983 it proclaimed itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" ("TRNC"). The United States does not recognize the "TRNC," nor does any country other than Turkey.

Executive Summary

"Laws" in the Turkish Cypriot-administered area generally protect religious freedom; however, some policies restrict religious freedom. Some religious groups, including Greek Orthodox and Maronite Catholics, had limited access to their places of worship in the north. Some groups complained that some religious sites were damaged, close to collapse, or had been converted to other uses. Some religious groups reported that the authorities monitored their activities. The trend in the Turkish Cypriot authorities' respect for religious freedom did not change significantly during the year.

There were reports of societal discrimination based on religious affiliation, belief, or practice. Greek Cypriots continued to report that vandals damaged and removed religious icons from vacant Greek Orthodox churches located in the Turkish Cypriot-administered area.

Embassy representatives met with Turkish Cypriot "officials," NGOs, international organizations, and religious leaders to discuss religious freedom issues, including access to religious sites and the ability to hold religious services freely. Embassy staff observed religious ceremonies and visited sites of religious significance.

Section I. Religious Demography

According to the 2011 census, which contains no data on religious affiliation, the population of the area administered by Turkish Cypriots is 295,000. Sociologists estimate 98 percent of the population is Sunni Muslim. An estimated 10,000 immigrant workers and 3,000 settlers from Turkey of Turkish, Kurdish, and Arab origin are Alevis, and there are also small numbers of followers of other schools of Islam. Other small groups include: 330 members of the autocephalous Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus, 200 members of the Russian Orthodox Church, approximately 200 Bahais, 110 Maronite Catholics, 180 Anglicans, 150 mostly expatriate Jews, and 40 Jehovah's Witnesses. There are small numbers of Roman Catholics and members of several Protestant denominations, including Pentecostals, Baptists, and Methodists.

Section II. Status of "Government" Respect for Religious Freedom

Legal/Policy Framework

"Laws" in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots generally protect religious freedom; however, some policies restrict religious freedom, particularly for members of the Greek Orthodox, Maronite Catholic, and Armenian Orthodox churches.

The "law" refers specifically to a "secular republic." The "law" does not recognize any specific religion. It states, however, that the Sunni Muslim Vakif, which regulates religious activity for Turkish Cypriots, has the exclusive right to regulate and administer its internal affairs and property in accordance with Vakif laws and principles. The Vakif has preferential tax status; it is tax-exempt in its religious activities, but its commercial operations are subject to applicable taxes. It also receives income from properties it manages. No other religious group in the area is tax-exempt.

The 1975 Vienna III Agreement covers the treatment of Greek Cypriots and Maronite Catholics living in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots living in the government-controlled area. Among other provisions, the agreement provides for facilities for religious worship for Greek Cypriots, stating that "the Greek Cypriots at present in the north of the island are free to stay and they will be given every help to lead a normal life, including facilities for education and for the practice of their religion, as well as medical care by their own doctors and freedom of movement in the north."

Religious groups are not required to register with authorities as associations, but only registered associations may engage in commercial activity and maintain bank accounts. Associations do not receive tax-exempt status or any "government" benefits or subsidies. Religious groups are not permitted to register as associations if the stated purpose of the association is to conduct religious services.

Turkish Cypriot authorities limit access to Greek Orthodox, Maronite Catholic, and Armenian Orthodox places of worship. "Regulations" stipulate that Greek Orthodox and Maronite Catholic residents may hold liturgies or masses conducted by designated priests at designated churches in their areas of residence without seeking permission. The authorities require religious groups to submit applications for permission to hold religious services at churches or monasteries other than the six they have designated. The authorities also require applications that request permission for religious services conducted by priests other than those with official designation. Permission is also required for services that include participation of Greek Cypriots who are not residents in the Turkish Cypriot-administered area, such as members of the Greek Orthodox, Maronite Catholic, and Armenian Orthodox churches living in the government-controlled area. Applications to hold worship services at these sites are required ten days before the date of such religious services.

There is no formal Islamic religious instruction in public schools. However, there is compulsory instruction covering religion, culture, and ethics in grades four through eight in all schools. It focuses primarily on Islam, although it also covers comparative religion. The instruction is mandatory and attendance is required of all students, regardless of their faith. Non-Muslim students may be excused from attending religious instruction at the request of their guardians. At the high-school level, such instruction is optional. There are no "state-supported" religious schools.

There are no provisions or "laws" allowing Turkish Cypriots to engage in conscientious objection to military service.

The following holy days are official holidays and are observed widely in the Turkish Cypriot community: Ramadan Bayram, the Birth of the Prophet Mohammed, and Kurban Bayram.

"Government" Practices

There were no reports of abuses of religious freedom; however, the authorities imposed restrictions that affected members of religious minority groups.

Greek Orthodox and Maronite Catholics continued to be prohibited from visiting most religious sites located in military zones in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots. The Jewish community reported that a Jewish cemetery remained inaccessible due to its location in a military zone. Some religious groups complained that some religious sites to which they had little or no access were damaged or close to collapse.

The most recent reports indicated that Turkish Cypriot authorities did not allocate additional funds beyond 546,430 Turkish lira ($346,000) in 2006 to complete the restoration of 15 Greek Orthodox churches in the area they administered. In addition, authorities stated that some Greek Orthodox and Maronite churches had long been converted to other uses. One religious group complained that religious items were being held in museums against the wishes of the community.

In March authorities denied permission to the Greek Orthodox Bishop of Karpasia to enter the north to visit the Metropolitan Church of St. Mamas in Morphou. The authorities stated the bishop had previously conducted unauthorized religious services at the Apostolos Andreas monastery and was therefore in violation of the requirement for written notification and permission to conduct religious services.

Some religious groups reported that Turkish Cypriot authorities, including the police, monitored their activities. A resident Greek Orthodox priest reported heavy police presence during church services and stated the police questioned him frequently about his activities. Turkish Cypriot "officials" stated that the purpose of the police presence was to provide security and protect religious icons and artifacts; however, religious groups perceived the monitoring as intimidation and harassment.

Turkish Cypriot authorities eased restrictions on holding regular religious services in certain churches, although authorities did not approve all requests. The authorities denied some Church of Cyprus requests to hold religious services in churches not officially designated, including a request to hold April 17 services at the Holy Church of St. Euphemianos in Lysi, and a request to hold April 20 services for the Feast of the Virgin Mary at the Church of St. Charalambos in Neo Chorio Kythreas.

The four churches in the primarily Maronite village of Kormakitis and the Maronite church in Karpashia functioned regularly and did not need special permission for any services. Three smaller Maronite churches required special permission to hold services, and one church in Kambyli required a special permit at all times. In April Maronite Catholics celebrated the Festival of Saint George in Kormakitis for the first time in 38 years, in cooperation with the local municipality.

Authorities scheduled a hearing in the "Constitutional Court" for early 2013 on the case of Turkish Cypriot Murat Kanatli, who began declaring his conscientious objection to the one-day annual military reserve duty requirement in 2009.

Turkish Cypriot authorities permitted construction of a number of mosques with funding from Turkey. Some non-Sunni Muslims lacked places of worship and funding to construct such facilities. Alevis, which like all non-Sunni Muslim religious groups were recognized by the authorities as an association and not as a religious group, reported that due the lack of a cem evi (house of worship), they were required to conduct funerals inside mosques, contrary to their traditions. In April the Pir Sultan Abdal Association, an Alevi NGO, visited Turkish Cypriot political parties to request support to build a cem evi and to advocate for inclusion of Alevism in the education curriculum. While several of the parties expressed support regarding the inclusion of Alevism in the education curriculum, there were no reports of further action.

In February authorities closed a "state"-supported Islamic religious department that had opened in a public high school in November 2011 after teachers unions and the education authorities reached an agreement. The teachers unions had protested the department's opening, and supported secular education as a key aspect of Turkish Cypriot identity. The authorities insisted there was demand for religious courses. The students continued their education in a private Turkish school until construction of a new "state"-supported religious school was completed.

A Turkish-speaking Protestant congregation filed a "court" case due to the authorities' continued refusal to grant it legal recognition as a religious association with the purpose of conducting religious services. Authorities reportedly requested the congregation provide an application that did not include reference to religion, including in the name of the association, as required by "law." As a result, the authorities denied the group's application, as they had done for the past eight years. The group's inability to register as an association prevented it from establishing a trust fund and purchasing property. The congregation used rented space in Kyrenia and Nicosia for religious services.

The "Antiquities Department" did not begin its planned restoration of the 200-year-old Greek Orthodox Chapel of Saint Thekla that was demolished, reportedly by accident, in 2011.

Section III. Status of Societal Respect for Religious Freedom

There were reports of societal discrimination based on religious affiliation, belief, or practice.

Greek Cypriots continued to report that vandals damaged vacant Greek Orthodox churches and removed religious icons in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots. According to Turkish Cypriot authorities, police closely investigated all such complaints of vandalism.

Turkish Cypriot religious authorities reported that Muslim parents seeking to send their children to religious summer courses faced strong public criticism, particularly from local teachers.

Some religious groups reported that Turkish Cypriot converts from Islam to other religions faced social ostracism.

The Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage, a group composed of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots appointed by the leaders of their communities, identified cultural heritage sites throughout the island in need of emergency preservation. These sites, five in each community, included five churches located in the area administered by the Turkish Cypriots. The committee also assumed a coordination and facilitator role for the restoration of the Apostolos Andreas monastery in Karpasia. In addition, the committee organized small-scale grassroots initiatives to help maintain cultural heritage sites, including religious sites, in poor condition on both sides of the island.

Section IV. U.S. Government Policy

Embassy representatives met with Turkish Cypriot authorities, NGOs, international organizations, and religious leaders to discuss religious freedom, including access to religious sites and the ability to hold religious services at the sites without restrictions. Embassy staff observed religious ceremonies at Saint Mamas in Morphou, a historically important church that attracted a large number of worshippers from the government-controlled area, and visited the Maronite enclave in Kormakitis. In June the embassy sponsored participation in an international exchange program that focused on cultural heritage preservation, applicable to the preservation of historic religious sites, for the lead Turkish Cypriot representative on the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage.