No arrest of Cyprus stabbing suspects 'disgusting'

The parents of George Low from Dartford who was stabbed to death in Cyprus in 2016 say it is "disgusting" that the two suspects identified in the case still have not been arrested and put on trial.

International arrest warrants were issued against Sali Ahmet and Mehmet Akpinar, who fled to the Turkish-controlled north of the island. But Cyprus Police have confirmed there has been no progress in the case.

"You can't begin to imagine how much hurt and upset we feel every single day," said George's mother Helen Low.

Last year the Turkish Embassy in London said the investigation into Mehmet Akpinar was "ongoing", but in a new statement they said prosecutors had decided not to prosecute the suspect.

A spokesperson for the embassy said according to information they had received from Turkey's Ministry of Justice "the investigation was referred to the Hatay Public Prosecutor's Office which has subsequently issued a decision of non-prosecution (no grounds to proceed) in respect of Mr Mehmet Akpınar."

They also said a request for legal assistance in connection with the investigation had been made previously to the UK authorities, but they had not received a response.

The BBC has received no information from Turkish authorities about the investigation into Ahmet, or his whereabouts.

It is also not clear why Akipinar is no longer being investigated in Turkey.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has been contacted for comment.

Speaking to BBC South East to mark 10 years since George was killed his mother said: "It's mentally and physically draining. Our every thought is how are we going to do this, what the next steps might be."

Estate agent George Low, 22, was attacked in the resort town of Ayia Napa. His friend Ben Barker was also stabbed multiple times in the back, but survived.

The Turkish authorities refused to hand over Akpinar and Ahmet to the Greek Cypriot south and both were allowed to leave the country.

An inquest into the death of George Low heard the suspects were understood to have then travelled to Turkey, but the country does not extradite its citizens.

In 2022 Ben Barker said a man who identified himself as Akpinar had been threatening him on social media. Barker called on Cyprus and Turkey to put aside their grievances to allow justice to take place.

A lawyer assisting the family previously told the BBC police in Cyprus had collected evidence including weapons, DNA, potential CCTV, and witness accounts.

But last year a spokesperson for Cyprus Police said according to EU law Cyprus can only send evidence to a state with which it has established communication, and Turkish authorities do not recognise Cyprus so will not recognise the evidence.

Dartford MP Jim Dickson said the case had gone on for "far too long" and he was in touch with the UK Foreign Office representatives in Cyprus to put pressure on the Cypriot government to release evidence held by police.

"We then have the opportunity for the killers who we know are out there to be tried in the right court either a Turkish court or a Cypriot court," he said.

James Ker-Lindsay, an academic and analyst in the field of international relations, said: "It would be the case that Turkey is saying we will not honour an extradition request that comes from a country that we don't formally recognise.

"All other 191 members of the United Nations recognise Cyprus as an independent state but Turkey has its position on this," he said.

Dickson says he has asked to raise the case in the House of Commons in an adjournment debate which would receive a response from a foreign office minister.

"I hope that in the end Cyprus and Turkey will see that this unresolved issue is a stain on both their criminal justice systems and their countries' reputations," he said.

Helen Low says she and her husband will never stop fighting for justice for her son.

"Some people think 'well 10 years down the line just move on, forget it, it's not going to happen what are you wasting your time for?' But that's our son you know?" she said.

"With every breath in our bodies we will make sure we do this for George."