NICOSIA, Cyprus – The premises of the prominent anti-racist NGO KISA (Action for Equality, Support, Antiracism) in Nicosia, Cyprus, was targeted in a shocking attack with an improvised explosive device. The attack caused severe damage to the organization’s property and raised concerns about the safety of human rights defenders in the country. Kondylia Gogou, Amnesty International’s Cyprus Researcher, condemned the violent attack and highlighted the increasing trend of racist violence in Cyprus. The organization and its volunteers have faced repeated threats and verbal attacks in connection with their work supporting refugees, migrants, and denouncing hate crimes.
Gogou stressed the urgent need for Cypriot authorities to send a clear message that attacks on human rights defenders and NGOs will not be tolerated. Additionally, she called for a prompt, thorough, independent, and impartial investigation into the attack prioritizing the hypothesis that it was related to the organization’s human rights and anti-racist work. Effective measures to protect the safety of KISA staff and activists were also deemed necessary.
In the early hours of January 5th, the premises of KISA were attacked by an improvised explosive device. The explosion resulted in severe damage to the building, including windows, photocopiers, and computers. Reports indicate that KISA and its volunteers have faced numerous threats and harassment from anti-migrant and nationalist groups in recent years. Despite complaints to the authorities, investigations into the threats have not yielded any known outcome.
Furthermore, incidents of racialized people, including refugees and migrants, being subjected to attacks have been documented in Chloraka and Limassol. The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) found that the public discourse in Cyprus had become “increasingly xenophobic.” In addition, KISA’s legal status has been challenged, and proceedings for its dissolution were initiated, despite its appeal to challenge the decision remaining pending.
The attack on KISA’s premises and the ongoing threats and harassment towards the organization and its volunteers highlight the concerning rise in racist violence in Cyprus. Efforts to address the safety of human rights defenders and the protection of refugees and migrants from hate crimes remain imperative in the face of these challenging circumstances.