February 26, 1955
CYPRIOT STRUGGLE: Paphos, 22 – Socrates Loizidis and the others accused in the case of the Aghios Georgios ship were brought before the Provincial Court of Paphos today. Three charges were brought against all the accused: conspiring to overthrow the government and the constitution of the (British) colony by force, conspiring to overturn by armed force the government and the laws, and preparing to carry out a military operation in the colony. After a three-hour hearing, during which the British police officer Carter testified, the court issued a lengthy ruling referring the accused to trial, to begin on March 16. DENKTASH: The court refused to grant a temporary release order for the accused, based on the recommendation of the Turkish prosecutor Rauf Denktash. The prosecutor (…) stated that «many other conspirators are unknown and have not been apprehended. If the accused are allowed to go free temporarily, they are likely to attempt to flee the island.» (…) He also held that «the accused belong to an organization that is in secret contact with other countries, a fact which allows them to illegally import large quantities of explosives for the purpose of beginning a civil war.»
