Student accused of staying illegally in northern Cyprus for over 500 days remanded in custody

Lefkoşa, July 19, 2025 — A foreign national has been remanded in police custody for three days on charges of residing illegally in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) for over a year and a half.

The suspect identified as CTOS, a Zimbabwean national appeared before a Lefkoşa court on Saturday, July 19. 

According to the police, the suspect was apprehended on July 18, 2025, around 9:00 PM during a routine patrol by Gönyeli Police on Atatürk Street, after his suspicious behavior prompted officers to conduct an identity check.

Upon inspection, it was discovered that CTOS had overstayed his legal residency by 574 days, having been in the country without a valid permit since December 23, 2023.

The suspect was arrested on the spot, and a formal investigation was initiated. Police stated that there are pending statements to be collected and that deportation procedures have already begun. As such, the authorities requested the court to detain the suspect for three days to continue the investigation.

After reviewing the testimony, the judge ordered that CTOS be held in police custody for 72 hours.