A/HRC/40/22
including by taking temporary special measures, and to promote their access to high-quality
education (paras. 35 and 37).
25.
In a positive development, on 31 May 2018 UNFICYP resumed humanitarian
deliveries of food supplies and other items provided by the Republic of Cyprus to Greek
Cypriot and Maronite communities residing in the north of the island. That followed the
decision of the Turkish Cypriot authorities in May 2018 to reverse their previous decision to
levy “duties” on such items.
C.
Freedom of movement
26.
According to article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, everyone has
the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each State.
Furthermore, everyone has the right to leave any country, including their own, and to return
to their country.7
27.
In Cyprus, however, crossings between the northern and southern parts of the island
remain possible only through official crossing points, which limits freedom of movement. In
a long-awaited development, two new crossing points at Lefka/Aplici and Deryneia/Derinya
opened on 12 November 2018, thus bringing the total number of official crossing points to
nine. 8 During the period under review, UNFICYP reported 2,017,908 official crossings
through the buffer zone, including 2,083 at the Lefka/Aplici crossing point and 10,770 at the
Deryneia/Derinya crossing point.
28.
In its report of June 2018, the European Commission documented an increase in the
number of crossings both by Turkish Cypriots and by Greek Cypriots in 2017, as well as a
substantial increase in the number of crossings by European Union citizens (other than
Cypriots and third-country nationals). No incidents concerning crossings were reported in
2017. However, Turkish Cypriot buses carrying European Union citizens were still not
permitted to cross to the south of the island. 9
29.
The opening of new official crossing points and the significant increase in the number
of crossings are positive developments in the enjoyment of freedom of movement in Cyprus.
They indicate a growing number of contacts between the communities of Cyprus, and should
serve to inspire everyone to continue working to enhance freedom of movement on the whole
island.
D.
Property rights
30.
According to article 17 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, everyone has
the right to own property alone as well as in association with others, and no one is to be
arbitrarily deprived of their property.
31.
With regard to property claims in the northern part of Cyprus, according to the
Immovable Property Commission, as at 30 November 2018 a total of 6,497 applications had
been lodged with the Commission since its establishment. Of those, 928 had been concluded
through friendly settlements and 32 through formal hearings. The Commission had paid a
total of £ stg. 296,547,921 in compensation, and it had ruled for exchange and compensation
in two cases, for restitution in three cases and for restitution and compensation in six cases.
In one case, it had delivered a decision for restitution after the settlement of the Cyprus issue,
and in another case it had ruled for partial restitution. 10
7
8
9
10
6
See also the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, art. 12.
See www.uncyprustalks.org/joint-statement-by-the-turkish-cypriot-leader-mr-mustafa-akinci-and-thegreek-cypriot-leader-mr-nicos-anastasiades-26102018/.
European Commission, Report from the Commission to the Council, COM(2018) 488 final, 22 June
2018, pp. 1–2. (The report is based on the 2017 calendar year).
See www.tamk.gov.ct.tr.
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