TRNC authorities report protection of child abducted in Limassol

TRNC authorities have stated that the two-year-old boy, who was taken from Limassol to the north of the island by his father last week, is under state protection. This was announced by the Minister of Labor and Social Security, Oğuzhan Hasipoğlu.

According to the minister, following an assessment of the situation by social services department experts and taking into account the “best interests of the child,” the court decided to place him under state protection. The TRNC claims that the child has already undergone a medical examination, and his physical and psychological condition is under constant monitoring by specialists.

Hasipoğlu emphasized that the safety of children remains a priority for the authorities and assured that the ministry would continue working to ensure a safe environment for the child.

The incident has caused a wide public resonance on both sides of the island. According to the police of the Republic of Cyprus, the child's father, a citizen of Turkish origin, illegally removed the boy from the government-controlled area after a conflict with the mother. Previously, investigations had been conducted against the man in the Republic of Cyprus regarding cases related to violence and drugs.

The child's mother made an emotional appeal for help via social media, stating that this is the second time her son has been abducted. In the Republic of Cyprus, the case is being treated as a serious violation of custody rights and illegal movement of a minor across the island's dividing line.

Such cases of parental child abduction remain relatively rare in Cyprus, but are occasionally recorded in mixed families, particularly against the backdrop of jurisdictional complexities between the two parts of the island.