Cyprus’s new justice minister is evaluating a request from a convicted appropriator of Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied areas to transfer to Israel to serve the remainder of his sentence.
Shimon Mistriel Aykut, 75, who admitted to 40 counts of property appropriation worth €38.9m, has asked to serve his five-year sentence in Israel, according to cross-referenced information from Phileleftheros.
The request is being handled by Justice Minister Costas Fytiris.
Under established procedure, the decision rests with the minister at his discretion. If a convicted person transfers to another country, they serve their sentence under that state’s rules.
The scenario of an Israeli transfer request had been anticipated by Phileleftheros from the day the five-year sentence was imposed, with the newspaper reporting that circles knowledgeable about the case had discussed Aykut preparing such a request.
Founder of Afik Group property empire
Aykut, who holds Israeli, Turkish and Portuguese citizenship, founded the Afik Group real estate company that built six large tourist complexes on Greek Cypriot-owned land in the occupied areas without the owners’ consent.
The complexes were constructed in Ayios Amvrosios, Trikomo, Gastria and Akanthou. Prosecutors valued the developments at over €36m, covering 394,969 square metres.
Aykut was arrested in June 2024 whilst attempting to cross from the north to the Republic at the Ayios Dometios crossing point.
Landmark conviction after plea bargain
Nicosia Criminal Court imposed five years’ imprisonment for each of the 40 appropriation charges Aykut admitted on 13 October 2025, relating to “fraudulent transactions in immovable property belonging to another”. The sentences run concurrently.
The charges carried a maximum sentence of seven years. The court counted his pre-trial detention time, meaning he is considered to have been serving his sentence since 19 June 2024.
The offences occurred over 10 years and five months and involved 40 land parcels with a combined value of €38,948,000, according to the verdict.
The conviction marked the first of its kind since Turkey’s 1974 invasion of Cyprus.
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