Thirty years after the murders of Tassos Isaak and Solomos Solomos, members of their families and eyewitnesses speak to CNA about the tragic events of August 1996, providing shocking personal testimonies about those dramatic days that marked their lives.
Speaking in the CNA tribute are Anastasia Isaac, Stella Solomou, eyewitnesses to the events Yiannis Antoniou (now Deputy Government Spokesperson) and Andreas Pettemerides, as well as the representative of the Isaac-Solomou Memory Initiative, Dr. Kyriakos Yiagou.
At the same time, the President of the Kyrenia Bar Association, Nikolas Konstantinidis, analyzes the legal dimension of the murders. He focuses on the conviction of Turkey by the ECHR and presents what is currently the case in relation to the arrest warrants, based on the information given to the House of Representatives in November 2025 by the then Minister of Justice. Furthermore, he refers to the legal actions that the Republic of Cyprus could promote today, including the issuance of European Arrest Warrants.
The 1996 pan-European anti-occupation march towards Kyrenia
In the summer of 1996, the Cyprus Motorcyclists Federation organized a pan-European anti-occupation march starting in Berlin and ending in occupied Kyrenia. However, after the joint decision of the political leadership and the motorcyclists' leadership to cancel the part of the march within Cyprus, a section of motorcyclists disagreed and continued their march towards the Deryneia roadblock and other roadblocks in the area, where serious incidents broke out within the buffer zone.
On August 11 in the Deryneia buffer zone, 24-year-old Tasos Isaak was beaten to death by Turkish Cypriots and members of the Grey Wolves, with UN peacekeepers remaining passive in the face of what was unfolding before them.
Three days later, on the day of Tassos Isaak's funeral, his 26-year-old cousin, Solomos Solomou, attempted to take down the Turkish flag from a flagpole at an occupation force outpost. He was fatally shot in front of television cameras, in images that were broadcast live around the world and caused an international outcry.
A heartfelt statement from Stella Solomou and Anastasia Isaak, who continue to seek vindication thirty years later
"My father sacrificed himself for the freedom of our homeland. His sacrifice was not the result of a military conflict between armies, but of a peaceful anti-occupation demonstration by motorcyclists who were demanding the obvious, free movement in their own homeland," Tasos Isaak's daughter, Anastasia Isaak, told CNA.
He noted that "30 years later, the message of his sacrifice remains unchanged. It is a timeless lesson of courage, dignity and selfless struggle for the freedom of our homeland."
Asked what it's like to grow up carrying the name of a man who is a symbol for Cyprus, she said that "it's an honor to grow up carrying the name of Tasos Isaac, a pure man, who only did one thing: save the life of a fellow human being."
"If I were born again, I would choose his name again. A name identified with dignity and courage. At the same time, however, I feel a duty to continue what I learned through his sacrifice, to continue the struggle for memory," he emphasized.
Regarding her participation each year in the events of the Isaac-Solomos Memorial Initiative, she stated that she began being a member of the Initiative in 2016.
"We grew up together with the Initiative and, drawing light from their sacrifice, we continue to pass on the message of remembrance until justice is served," he said.
Asked what, for her, would be the real justification for her father's sacrifice, she said that it is not only about punishing the murderers, but also about bringing justice to all those who are still experiencing the consequences of the Turkish invasion and occupation.
"Real justice for me would not only be the obvious, bringing the murderers of both my father and Solomos to justice, but also bringing justice to all those who have suffered and been affected as a result of the Turkish invasion and occupation," he noted.
As he explained, this concerns all those who are still suffering the consequences, "whether they are families of missing persons, whether they are victims of war, or whether they cannot go to their homes, their properties and the places where they grew up."
Anastasia called for justice "for all those who fight daily, still carrying the wounds of the Turkish invasion and occupation."
"The message I want to pass on to the new generation is what our notebooks used to say, "I will not forget." Let us not forget our history, our places, the people who were lost, reminding us of the values we must serve," concluded Anastasia Isaac, calling on the new generation to keep historical memory alive.
"30 years after my brother's murder, both I and my family feel indescribable awe and pride for his bravery. His memory remains forever alive in our hearts. He is a beacon that will never go out," Solomos Solomos' sister, Stella Solomos, told CNA.
"However, we carry immense bitterness and disappointment because it has not yet been possible to arrest the murderers of our Solakis and Tasos and bring them to justice. The fact that the murderers are walking around free, protected by the occupying power, proves the hypocrisy of those who talk about human rights," he added.
Describing the character of Solomos Solomos, she said that her brother "was a giving man, full of life, with pure love for his family, friends and his homeland. He always had the courage of his opinion and did not bow his head to injustice."
"His thirst for freedom consciously led him to his act. He climbed the mast to redress injustice and return dignity to our country," he emphasized.
Referring to the most vivid memory she has of her brother, she said they met two days before his murder.
"I remember that he was wearing a very nice black belt that he had bought a few days before. When I told him that your belt is very nice, despite the pain he felt at that moment about Tasos' death, he looked at me with his bright gaze and with a smile full of vitality he gave it to me," said Ms. Solomou.
"This was Solakis, a man who wanted to give joy to the people he loved without asking for anything in return. His gaze and his smile will remain forever in my memory," he added.
She also revealed that her brother "had told his friends that he would take down the flag, but he avoided telling my brother when they met at the roadblock the day before his assassination because he knew he could convince him otherwise."
"He was determined to lower the flag and it was visible in his gaze. His act was not a momentary act, it was not an act of the moment. It was a conscious decision in the face of the injustice of the occupation," he stressed.
Asked what would constitute true vindication of his sacrifice, she clarified that the family is not seeking revenge but justice.
"The real vindication of my brother's sacrifice would be bringing the murderers to justice and the withdrawal of Turkish troops from our Cyprus," he noted.
"We are not asking for revenge. We are asking for justice and freedom," he clarified.
He added that "we demand the justice that Solomos, Tasos and all the heroes who sacrificed themselves for our homeland were deprived of. The justice that our family and all Cypriot citizens, appeals and otherwise, were deprived of. The right to free movement in our land without the presence of Turkish troops. Only in this way will his sacrifice truly be justified."
Referring to the impact that the loss of her brother left on the family, she said that his absence "left a huge void in our family. But we do not focus on the death, we focus on the courage and refusal of our Solakis to compromise with the occupation."
In closing, Ms. Solomou thanked the Mayor of Paralimni - Deryneia, the sculptor Philippos Giapanis and all those who contributed to the creation of the monument in Paralimni, as well as the Isaac-Solomou Memorial Initiative for preserving the memory of the two heroes.
"No sacrifice is wasted if we do not forget it," concluded Stella Solomou.
Shocking testimonies of eyewitnesses Yannis Antoniou and Andreas Pettemeridis
"Since the first days of August, tension has been pervasive in the atmosphere, especially after the overt threats of the Denktash regime that the Turkish army and the so-called "security forces" would react if the motorcyclists attempted to cross into the occupied territories," Deputy Government Spokesperson Yiannis Antoniou, who was then working as a reporter for Phileleftheros, told CNA.
"Due to the increased security measures and the intention of the Police to close roads, I had been in Deryneia since the evening of Saturday, August 10, together with my colleagues, Christakis Giannakos and photojournalist Andreas Manolis," he said.
Continuing his story, he stated that "at some point around noon on Sunday, information was transmitted that the leadership of the organized motorcyclists had agreed with the then President of the Republic, Glafkos Clerides, to end the motorcyclists' march at the Makarios Stadium in Nicosia."
As he stated, "when the decision to cancel the transition to the occupied territories was announced, we observed the withdrawal of police forces that had gathered in the Deryneia area and elsewhere along the confrontation line."
"I also remember MPs who made strongly critical statements about the decision, accusing the government of backing down under the weight of Denktash's threats," he added.
However, as he explained, "when the motorcyclists reacted to their leadership's decision and decided to continue their normal route from Nicosia to the occupied territories, people began to arrive in the Deryneia area, Strovilia and other roadblocks in the wider area."
"From the point at the Deryneia roadblock where most of us journalists, from Cyprus, Greece and international news agencies, had gathered, the mobilization of military forces in the occupied territories was visible," he noted.
Describing what happened next, he said that "when the motorcyclists arrived there, several citizens had already gathered. In the fields to the left of the roadblock, as we see towards the occupied areas, there was a barbed wire fence, which in some places had been flattened."
As he explained, "from there, several people from the occupied territories, journalists and various others, with political affiliations, were passing through to the free areas."
Continuing his testimony, he said that "at some point a mob had formed against us that moved in an aggressive manner, shouting, insulting, and using slingshots throwing stones towards us. To protect ourselves, we gathered behind a water tanker that was abandoned in the field. I remember that there were several of us journalists, among them the veteran, Alex Evthyvoulou, who made the tragic prediction "today we will have dead people"".
"About ten minutes later, when the stone-throwing stopped and we moved away from the water tanker, we saw Tassos Isaac, who had been trapped in the barbed wire, being beaten with crowbars," said Mr. Antoniou.
As he stated, "at the same time, 4-5 people from the mob attacked a girl wearing a shirt with the Greek flag, and they grabbed her jewelry. I ran to help her and then they grabbed the camera I was holding and threw it away. A peacekeeper who was next to me removed me to safety."
Mr. Antoniou continued his testimony by saying that "at that time, I saw my colleague, Christakis Giannakos, along with others, carrying Tassos, covered in blood, with their hands, and putting him in the open jeep-type car. We left there and after passing by Paralimni Hospital for reporting, we took the road to Nicosia to display the photographs we had taken and write our reports."
"It was one of the most difficult reports I wrote, because it was difficult to capture on paper what I experienced. It was the first time I saw a person being killed, and with such brutality. It took many years for me to be able to go to the Deryneia roadblock, while to this day it is extremely painful for me to see photographs from that horrible day, several of which are mine," concluded Mr. Antoniou.
"After the funeral of Tassos Isaak, people spontaneously poured out into the streets again and we went to the area where Tassos Isaak was murdered to lay a wreath, where a large number of police forces were lined up," Andreas Pettemeridis, who was an eyewitness to the tragic events that unfolded at the Deryneia roadblock on August 14, 1996, told CNA.
He said that the police created a huge cordon of cars and police officers to prevent people from passing through, but as he said, "this was not enough to prevent him from getting inside."
He said that "at some point, we broke the cordon and found ourselves back in the dead zone. The UN was trying to stop us, it was chaos. There was a lot of tension."
Giving his testimony to CNA, he said that "at some point, when we were on the left of the road leading to the Deryneia roadblock, someone rushed to go inside by himself. There in front was the last embankment with the barbed wire. I pulled him back, I didn't know him. I told him, 'Hey, where are you going, stay here, because if you pass by, we'll all be lined up', he replied, 'No, I'll go inside' and then I pulled him back."
Continuing his story, Mr. Pettemeridis said that "at some point when there was another big shower and there was a disturbance, he left again on his own. This was Solomos Solomou. He pulled the barbed wire, the UN tried to prevent him from entering, but he entered."
"When I saw him move forward and come out onto the mast, I immediately felt that there was going to be a disaster," he said.
"Suddenly, there were a lot of gunshots. You could hear bullets hitting metal because bullets also hit the mast. There was a UN soldier next to me who was hit in the butt," he said.
"I fell to the ground, people were trying to escape. For a few seconds there was chaos from the gunfire. Solomos fell to the ground after the shooting," he noted.
As he said, the United Nations "were afraid to go in and catch Solomos. Solomos was down on the ground for ten minutes without anyone going to catch him."
"After ten minutes, the UN came in, frightened, grabbed Solomos and brought him out," he said.
"He smelled very strongly of blood because the bleeding was severe. The forensic pathologist Marios Matsakis put his hands in his mouth to block it, but there was so much blood that no one could determine how much and where the wound was," he described.
"Matsakis was trying to get a pulse but there was no pulse at the time. We caught him and loaded him into a Land Rover to take him outside," Mr. Pettemeridis concluded, noting that after the shooting, people backed away and the tension within the dead zone stopped.
The conviction of Turkey by the ECHR and the arrest warrants that remain unexecuted
"The sacrifice of Tasos Isaac and Solomos Solomos is a constant reminder that freedom is never self-evident, that the rule of law cannot yield to violence, and that justice cannot be allowed to succumb to oblivion," the President of the Kyrenia Bar Association, Nikolas Konstantinidis, told CNA.
"The killings of two unarmed civilians, before the eyes of the international community, constitute a flagrant violation of the most fundamental human right, the right to life," he said.
He noted that "the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) condemned Turkey in its decision in June 2008, for violations of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and in particular the right to life."
As Mr. Konstantinidis said, "the Court attributed the murders to agents of the Turkish government, which makes Turkey responsible at the international level."
He noted, however, that "this international condemnation constitutes an important vindication, but it does not constitute the end of the path to justice. State responsibility does not replace or eliminate the individual criminal responsibility of the natural persons who committed or participated in these crimes."
Mr. Konstantinidis stated that "legality cannot be reconciled with impunity. Otherwise, the perception is consolidated that organized violence can, over time, remain without consequences", adding that "such a development would constitute a defeat not only for Cyprus but also for the very fundamental principles of European and international legal civilization".
He also said that "the obligation of state authorities to seek the prosecution of those responsible for the murders remains intact, regardless of any practical difficulties that may arise."
As Mr. Konstantinides mentioned, the Republic of Cyprus has issued national arrest warrants since 1996 and subsequently, through Interpol, issued Red Notices.
He noted that the then Minister of Justice and Public Order, Marios Hartsiotis, had informed the House of Representatives about this issue in November 2025.
"From this information it appears that eight arrest warrants are currently in force for the murder of Tasos Isaac, three of which are accompanied by Interpol Red Notices and five by international Wanted Person Diffusions," noted Mr. Konstantinidis.
Regarding the murder of Solomos Solomos, he said that "five arrest warrants are in effect, with Red Notices having been issued for only two of the wanted persons."
"The competent authorities must use and exhaust all available legal and other tools of judicial assistance and cooperation to locate and arrest the wanted persons, including the issuance of European Arrest Warrants," noted the President of the Kyrenia Bar Association.
As he explained, European Arrest Warrants "are legally binding for all member states of the European Union, unlike Interpol notices, the implementation of which depends on the cooperation of each country."
Continuing, he stated that "if European Arrest Warrants are issued, the data of the wanted persons will also be registered in the Schengen Information System (SIS) and the authorities of the member states will be obliged to arrest these persons and extradite them to the Republic of Cyprus in the event that they attempt to enter or are located in the territory of an EU member state."
He noted that this "is one of the European Union's strongest tools for judicial cooperation, based on the principle of mutual recognition of judicial decisions."
Ms. Konstantinidis stated that "the sacrifice of Tasos Isaak and Solomos Solomos is a constant reminder that freedom has a price, that occupation can never be normalized and that democracy must respond to violence with more legitimacy."
In closing, he noted that "the best tribute to the two murdered is not only the preservation of their memory. It is the incessant demand for the liberation of our homeland, the insistence on the delivery of justice and the accountability of those responsible."
"It is the ongoing effort for a free Cyprus, without occupying troops, where human life, dignity and fundamental human rights will be protected without concessions and without exceptions," he added.
"Because freedom without justice is fragile. And justice without accountability is an empty letter. Thirty years later, Tasos Isaac and Solomos Solomou continue to remind us that democracy is not measured by its words, but by its determination to never allow impunity to defeat justice," he concluded.
The goal of the Isaac-Solomos Initiative is to preserve memory, says Dr. Yagou
The Isaac-Solomos Memory Initiative was founded in 2008 by an independent group of young people, without any connection to any political party, said Initiative member Dr. Kyriakos Yiagou.
As he noted, the main goal of the Initiative is "to preserve the memory of the heroes Tassos Isaak and Solomos Solomos and to highlight in society the messages that flow from their sacrifice, which are messages such as dignity, justice and freedom."
Mr. Yiagou mentioned that the Initiative organizes various events every year, including the large march that takes place before each annual memorial service for the two heroes.
He also explained that the Initiative regularly organizes major marches outside Cyprus. As he mentioned, in 2016 the "Freedom March" started in Berlin and, after crossing seven European countries, ended in Cyprus.
He added that in 2021, on the 25th anniversary of the sacrifice of the two heroes, a major pilgrimage took place in Greece.
"We started from Kastanies in Evros, we passed through Alexandroupoli, Thessaloniki, Ioannina, Messolonghi, Athens and Crete and ended up in Cyprus," he said.
As he mentioned, in recent years the Initiative, in collaboration with local authorities, has sought to name squares or streets in honor of Tassos Isaac and Solomos Solomos in the areas through which the pilgrimage passes.
"This happened in Alexandroupoli and Messolonghi in 2021, in Kyperounda in 2025. This year, naming ceremonies took place in Zygi, Agios Theodoros and Mari."
"In this year's pilgrimage, symbolic naming ceremonies took place in Kyrenia in Achaia, Karavas in Kythera and Salamis in Attica. We also symbolically passed through Rhodes and Kastelorizo," said Mr. Yiagou.
"Mrs. Tasoula, Isaac's mother, and his daughter, Anastasia, always come with us. On every trip we are also welcomed by the President of the Hellenic Republic," concluded Mr. Yiagou, recalling that Anastasia's sponsor is the Greek state, as she was baptized by the then Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece.
Source: KYPE
