Tourist sentenced to 3 years in prison for conspiracy to shoot a business woman in north Cyprus

A 23-year-old tourist, Yunus Emre Karakoç, who reportedly entered north Cyprus with the intention of shooting the owner of a çiğ köfte shop in Demirhan but later abandoned the plan, has been sentenced to three years in prison for conspiracy to commit a serious crime.

The verdict was delivered by a panel of judges at the Lefkosia Assize Court on Tuesday December 9.

According to the judgment, the defendant was located and arrested in Lefkosia on 30 July 2025 following a tip-off. In his voluntary statement, Karakoç said he had met a man on Instagram who instructed him to travel to the TRNC and even purchased his ticket. Upon arrival, the defendant maintained communication with the man, who allegedly offered him ₺300,000 to shoot a woman and promised to provide him with a firearm at a designated location.

The judge noted that Karakoç backed out after learning that the target was a woman, stating that he did not retrieve the firearm and ceased communication with the individual who contacted him.

However, the court emphasized that withdrawing from the act did not eliminate the seriousness of the crime.

The judge highlighted a concerning rise in individuals entering the country on tourist visas to commit offenses threatening public safety. “No one has the right to come to our country on a tourist visa and disturb our peace,” she said.

The court stated that such crimes require deterrent and exemplary sentences. In considering Karakoç’s partial cooperation, his confession, and the fact that he ultimately did not collect the weapon, the court ruled these as factors in his favor.

Karakoç was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit a serious offense, a charge that carries a maximum penalty of seven years.