Presidential Commissioner for Humanitarian Issues and Overseas Cypriots, Fotis Fotiou, today concluded a working visit to Geneva, during which he had separate meetings with the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent, Peter Maurer and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad al Hussein.
In the meeting, yesterday, with President Maurer, Mr. Fotiou had the opportunity, inter alia, to explain the problems faced by the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP), requesting the assistance of the International Committee of Red Cross in efforts to locate information about the fate of the missing persons. On his part, President Maurer, reaffirmed the support of the Committee in efforts to address this humanitarian issue and expressed his satisfaction for the Cyprus government`s steadfast commitment.
In his meeting with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights [photo below], Presidential Commissioner Fotiou highlighted the continued mass violations of human rights in Cyprus as a result of the Turkish invasion and continued occupation of part of the island, especially those which concern religious and cultural rights. He also referred to the problems faced by the Greek Cypriot enclaved people (who live in the Turkish occupied areas), as well as to issue of missing persons. On his part, High Commissioner Zeid Ra’ad al Hussein reassured that his office continues to monitor the human rights situation in Cyprus, noting that a relevant report is submitted every year at the Human Rights Council.
