A/HRC/19/22 16. UNFICYP continued to assist Turkish Cypriots living in the south by liaising with local authorities and community representatives in their efforts to provide welfare services and to strengthen support mechanisms for vulnerable members of the Turkish Cypriot community in educational and social areas. 22 UNFICYP engaged in mediation at the operational and political levels to defuse rising tensions between the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot communities, for example, following an incident on 21 December 2010, when a European club basketball match in south Nicosia between the visiting Turkish team of Pinar Karsiyaka and the Greek Cypriot team of APOEL Nicosia was marred by acts of hooliganism by Greek Cypriot fans against the Turkish team players. Cyprus police intervened decisively at the stadium, providing the team with protection until its departure. The incident was subsequently condemned by both sides. 23 17. In its report on Cyprus of 23 March 2011, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance referred to reported cases of Turkish Cypriots being targeted for attack and noted the assurance of the authorities that isolated incidents committed by individuals had been unreservedly and unequivocally condemned by the political leadership. In this context, the Commission recommended that the authorities ensure that all acts of racist violence were thoroughly investigated with a view to prosecution, and that the perpetrators were duly punished. 24 In the comments made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Commission’s report, the Government of Cyprus recalled that, since 2003, “there has been almost no incidence of hostility and discrimination between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots”, noting that isolated incidents had been condemned by the Government and that all necessary measures had been taken to bring to justice the people responsible for these actions.25 18. On 21 September 2011, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe noted as positive developments the efforts made, in view of the growing diversity of Cypriot society, to improve and complete the anti-discrimination legislative and institutional framework and to increase awareness about human rights, tolerance and the principles of equality and non-discrimination. It also referred to additional measures taken to enable Turkish Cypriots to more effectively participate in public affairs and social, economic and cultural life.26 However, the Committee also raised concern that persons belonging to the three “religious groups” protected under the Framework Convention are still obliged to affiliate themselves either with the Greek Cypriot Community or the Turkish Cypriot Community, and that their members are obliged to vote to elect their representative to Parliament. The Committee recommended taking adequate measures to ensure, during the population census in 2011 and other forthcoming processes, effective implementation of the principle of self-identification, and urgent action to combat and sanction effectively all forms of discrimination and intolerance, including misconduct by members of the police force. 19. In its admissibility decision on the case of Erel and Damdelen v. Cyprus of 14 December 2010, the European Court of Human Rights did not find that the requirement to have habitual residence in the Government-controlled areas of Cyprus to vote and to stand 22 23 24 25 26 8 S/2011/332, para. 14; S/2011/746, para. 17. S/2011/332, para. 16. European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, report on Cyprus (fourth monitoring cycle), adopted on 23 March 2011, CRI(2011)20, paras. 126-127 and 130. Ibid., appendix: Government’s viewpoint, p. 56. Resolution CM/ResCMN(2011)16 on the implementation of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities by Cyprus, adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 21 September 2011 at the 1121st meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies. The Council of Europe Advisory Committee had adopted its third opinion on Cyprus on 19 March 2010; see ACFC/OP/III(2010)002 and A/HRC/16/21, paras. 28-29.