Two men remanded for crossing illegally to north Cyprus via military zone

Two men accused of illegally entering and exiting the country through restricted military areas have been detained and brought before the court.

The suspects, identified as MD, a Bangladeshi national and AU, were arrested separately by police and appeared before a north Cyprus court on Sunday August 31.

According to police testimony, on August 30, 2025, around 7:00 p.m., MD voluntarily presented himself at Lefkoşa Police Directorate, where he admitted that earlier in August he had crossed into the north by illegally breaching a First-Degree Military Restricted Zone from an unspecified location in the south. He told officers that he wished to return to his home country, after which he was arrested.

Police further reported that AU had crossed into the south by unlawfully exiting the north through an as-yet unidentified point along the restricted military zone. On August 30, 2025, he was detected acting suspiciously in the buffer zone by Beyarmudu Police Station officers and subsequently arrested.

Investigators told the court that inquiries are ongoing to determine how and from where the crossings were made, and whether the suspects received assistance from others. Police requested the three-day remand to allow time for further questioning and coordination with relevant authorities.

After reviewing the evidence, the judge approved the request and ordered both men to remain in police custody for three days.