Gunmen Threaten Journalist

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30443, 18 May 1964, Page 13

Gunmen Threaten Journalist

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter— Copyright) NICOSIA, May 16. The Mexican official United Nations spokesman in Cyprus (Mr Cezar Ortiz) said today he had had a machine gun pointed at him by a Greek Cypriot when he tried to stop four armed Greek Cypriots arresting a Turkish Cypriot journalist.

He said a report was cabled to the United Nations Secretary-General (U Thant) in New York and General Prem Gyani, commander of the United Nations Peace Force, had made a protest to President Makarios. Later, two Greek Cypriots were arrested and charged with unlawfully detaining the Turkish Cypriot. Mr Ortiz said the incident occurred in the grounds of the Ledra Palace Hotel, in Nicosia.

Mr Ortiz noticed armed Greek Cypriots In olive green uniforms moving in the grounds of the hotel, which is on the “green line” between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot quarters. Taken Away

He went out and saw the Greek Cypriots around Husrev Suleyman, a Turkish Cypriot journalist who had previously attended a United Nations briefing in the city’s

Greek Cypriot quarter. Mr Ortiz told the Greek Cypriots: “You can’t do this, he is a bona fide Turkish Cypriot journalist.” “One of the Greek Cypriots then turned his submachinegun on me. His colleagues then jumped and took the gun away from him and unloaded it,” said Mr Ortiz later.