The Greek Cypriot AS, who was detained on charges of “photographing the forbidden military zone and setting up espionage installations”, was brought to the Nicosia District Court today and ordered an additional 8 days of detention.
The Greek named Andreas Soutzi, who was arrested on suspicion of espionage, was brought to court again yesterday and an 8-day detention order was received against him.
Police officer Murat Ergün, who gave sworn testimony in court stated that the suspect Andreas Soutzi was accused of violating the military forbidden zone in the first degree and possession of illegal radio equipment.
After the suspect left a hotel room in Iskele, the cleaning staff found a walkie-talkie in the room and handed it to the police by the hotel authorities.
Ergün said that it was determined that he had crossed to Southern Cyprus. The police said that the suspect was arrested after crossing to TRNC on August 30, and that a fixed radio device, 9 maps, voice recorder, external memory and materials were found in his vehicle and a circumstantial evidence was obtained.
Ergün said that on one of the maps, two Turkish military zones in Northern Cyprus were marked. The police stated that the suspect Andreas Soutzi confessed to using the radio and that he had a total of 21,775 data in his possession and was sent to the data inspection branch.
The police said that the suspect’s mobile phone had 2 pictures of the military zone in the examination made yesterday.
The police stated that it would be investigated whether the suspect had similarly towed military areas, that the route of the suspect would be investigated from the city security systems, and that his voluntary statement should be confirmed and refuted, and demanded that the suspect be kept in detention for 8 days so that the investigation could be conducted safely.
The suspect’s lawyer Öncel Polili objected to his request for detention, arguing that his client came for touristic purposes and that the police conducted the investigation comfortably.
Prosecutor Hasan Bosniak argued that the crime is serious and threatens public safety, and that it is essential that the suspect be kept in detention for 8 days, taking into account this situation, that the requested time is necessary for the suspect to be able to conduct the investigation safely.
Evaluating the testimony given in his presence, Judge Hazal Hacımulla ordered the suspect to be detained for 8 days and immediately be checked by a doctor from a full-fledged public hospital.