Nightlife and Dark Realities of Northern Cyprus
With its vibrant nightlife and breathtaking beaches, Northern Cyprus has emerged as a favored location for stag parties. However, beneath the flashing neon lights of its bustling clubs lies a disturbing truth – reports suggest that many young girls and mothers are being lured to this holiday destination under false pretenses, only to find themselves trapped in a cycle of forced prostitution.
The island of Cyprus is renowned for its lively atmosphere, yet the recent discovery of Anastasia Melega, a 25-year-old married mother, found dead in a notorious nightclub in Alayköy, near the Cypriot capital, Nicosia, has shed light on the grim underbelly of sex trafficking in the region. Local reports indicate that she was allegedly coerced into sex slavery. Anastasia, who had a four-year-old son, was discovered in a room at the Prenses nightclub, where she both resided and worked as a hostess. The club’s website advertises VIP “privileges” and nights filled with “luxury,” showcasing images of scantily-clad young women.
Tragically, Anastasia is believed to be one among many women and girls who are deceived into coming to Northern Cyprus – a self-declared state recognized only by Turkey – with alluring promises of education and employment. Once they arrive, it is reported that their passports are confiscated, and they are treated like commodities, forced into prostitution in nightclubs, villas, and yachts. To maintain control, victims, some of whom are underage, are often subjected to drug use and physical abuse. In one harrowing account relayed to The Sun, a young woman suffered a ruptured eardrum when she attempted to resist her abusers. Others are reportedly compelled to service multiple clients each night, enduring further violence at the hands of customers.
According to Nelson Neocleus from Cyprus STOP Trafficking (CST), “They are physically and sexually exploited, their passports are confiscated, and they are coerced into paying back exorbitant sums of money.” He added that many victims were misled into believing they could work legally while pursuing their studies, only to be pressured into illegal activities that include sexual services.
Nelson emphasized that both women and men are trafficked into forced labor in sectors like construction and agriculture. Many of these individuals are deceived by criminal networks that operate between their home countries and Northern Cyprus, often promising educational opportunities or legitimate employment.
Tourism and Trafficking Concerns
The UK is the largest source of tourists to Cyprus, with approximately 1.3 million British visitors each year. A significant number of these tourists venture to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which has observed a surge in popularity as a budget holiday destination in recent years. The Republic, just a 90-minute drive from the lively party scene of Ayia Napa, offers a blend of Mediterranean and Turkish cultures. Daytime activities for tourists include walking tours, jeep safaris, and thrilling adventures like paragliding and scuba diving. By night, a plethora of nightclubs promises “unforgettable moments” to international visitors.
However, local politicians and advocacy groups have raised alarms about nightclubs in the Republic functioning as fronts for brothels, where women are trafficked and forced into sex work after being lured with promises of legitimate jobs as hostesses or waitresses. Doğuş Derya, a member of the Northern Cypriot Republican Turkish Party (CTP), stated, “Many individuals employed at these venues have had their human rights violated and have suffered sexual assaults.” The women and girls are subjected to regular medical examinations, including HIV screenings, and are expected to work every night unless they are menstruating.
Growing Crisis of Sex Trafficking
Experts in anti-trafficking efforts have reported a significant rise in sex slavery in Northern Cyprus. Deniz Altiok from the Human Rights Platform noted, “The situation has escalated dramatically, especially since the number of nightclubs has increased. The issue of sex slavery has persisted since the early 2000s, following the passage of ‘The Nightclubs and Similar Places of Entertainment Law,’ which allowed for the establishment of these venues.”
Deniz further explained that the exploitation of women has expanded beyond nightclubs to private apartment brothels, where foreign sex slaves are coerced into prostitution after being misled by illicit agencies. “They initially believed they were coming to work in a bar, but instead, they were taken directly from the airport to the apartments,” she elaborated.
Damla Kodan, project coordinator at the Refugee Rights Association, emphasized that the agencies behind trafficking operate with the complicity of a “corrupt” government, often advertising enticing educational opportunities. However, once women arrive, they discover that their enrollment in schools is not legitimate, leaving them trapped in debt bondage. “Debt bondage is prevalent in all cases,” she noted.
The working conditions for these women are often described as inhumane. “We hear stories of them being forced to sleep with ten men in a single day, unable to choose their customers, and suffering violence from clients,” added Damla. Medical check-ups are conducted by nightclub bodyguards at local hospitals, but if a woman is diagnosed with severe diseases like HIV, she faces punishment and is promptly sent back to her home country without treatment. “They contract the virus here but are denied access to medical care,” she lamented.
A Corrupt Network of Complicity
Experts have indicated that numerous individuals and businesses are complicit in the sex trafficking trade in Northern Cyprus, including nail salons, shops, pharmacies, and transport services. These entities maintain a “secret agreement” that facilitates the ongoing victimization of women and girls, often manipulating them into remaining at the nightclubs or apartments by paying them only a fraction of what they are owed.
“If nightclub bodyguards escort a girl to a pharmacy, they direct her to a specific establishment, ensuring there is no communication about her situation,” Deniz explained. “Both parties benefit from this arrangement.” During a session of the Republic’s General Assembly on March 4, the day following Anastasia’s death, Doğuş Derya revealed that underage girls are among those being trafficked and enslaved in nightclubs, operating outside the bounds of international law.
The victims’ passports, including those of students, are allegedly confiscated by the authorities, rendering escape impossible. They are then advertised “like animals” on websites featuring online catalogs of nightclubs, according to Derya, who detailed how these women and girls are also forced into sex work in apartments or on yachts, with nightclubs imposing limits on the number of hostesses employed.
Women and girls are reportedly given drugs to help them endure their horrifying circumstances, with some undergoing abortions due to clients refusing to use protection. While Derya has called for the closure of these nightclubs, human rights organizations are demanding a thorough investigation into Anastasia’s death, which local authorities have ruled a suicide. There is also a call for scrutiny over the conditions and treatment of women working in Northern Cyprus’s nightclubs.
“Cyprus STOP Trafficking is deeply concerned about the exploitation occurring in the area of Cyprus occupied by Turkey since 1974,” Neocleus expressed. “We have joined forces with other NGOs, including many from Turkish-Cypriot society, who strongly oppose the authorities’ tolerance, if not encouragement, of such nightclubs.”
The Tragic Story of Anastasia
Anastasia’s tragic death has highlighted the alarming plight of women trafficked to Cyprus for sexual exploitation. Originally from Moldova, a nation grappling with poverty, many of the sex slaves are believed to originate from countries like Ukraine, Russia, and various regions in Africa and Asia. These victims are often trafficked through Turkey, the only nation that officially recognizes the self-declared Northern Cyprus state, which was established after the civil conflict in 1974.
It remains unclear whether Anastasia was joined in Northern Cyprus by her husband and son, whom she once referred to on social media as her “entire life.” Derya confirmed that Anastasia likely fell prey to human trafficking. “A sex slave was discovered dead in a nightclub,” she remarked during the General Assembly, as reported by Cyprus Mail.
It appears that Anastasia had accumulated debts in recent years, with references on her social media accounts indicating that she had “never” repaid certain amounts. It’s plausible that she accepted work in Northern Cyprus to earn enough money to settle her debts. Anastasia is not the first nightclub worker to lose her life in Northern Cyprus, and it is alleged that such fatalities are often inadequately investigated by authorities.
In the wake of this latest tragedy, a local individual expressed on social media, “Human lives are being trampled on the ground.” Shockingly, while prostitution is illegal in Northern Cyprus, it has been an “open secret” for decades. Reports indicate that nightclubs serve as a significant source of tax revenue for the Turkish Cypriot administration.
Although police inspections are conducted on these establishments, Derya dismissed the effectiveness of such measures, asserting that sex slavery has been perpetuated by the state for over twenty-five years. A report from 2006 recounted the case of an 18-year-old trafficked virgin who was sold for an amount equivalent to over £12,000 in today’s currency. Fortunately, she managed to escape.
But how many sex slaves successfully break free? The reality is that many women who bravely report their situations to the police in Northern Cyprus often find themselves charged with prostitution. They have reportedly been forced to retract their allegations to avoid prosecution. While the Human Rights Platform operates a hotline advertised throughout Northern Cyprus, they struggle to secure funding due to the unrecognized status of the state. “We lack the resources to establish a shelter or provide support for these women,” lamented Deniz Altiok, who has advocated for the closure of the nightclubs.
Erhan Arikli, the Minister of Public Works and Transportation, shared a story about a girl who was forced into prostitution and beaten at a nightclub in Alayköy. She was rescued after managing to send a message to her family in Central Asia. However, Arikli noted that the girl chose to return home “immediately” rather than stay in Northern Cyprus to assist in prosecuting her attackers.
Nelson Neocleus recounted a similar experience: “In recent years, CST collaborated with the Human Rights Platform and managed to rescue a Nigerian woman who had escaped from a nightclub and was hiding in Kyrenia. She contacted us through a relative in Nigeria but opted to return to her home country rather than remain in Cyprus to testify against her captors. The northern ‘police authorities’ likely preferred to close the case in that manner and covered her travel expenses.”
An official investigation into nightclubs has reportedly been initiated by the Republic’s Chief Administrative Auditor following Anastasia’s death. Yet, tragically, this action comes too late for the young mother and for many others who have suffered before her.
