The constitution prohibits religious discrimination and protects the freedom to worship, teach, and practice one’s religion. It grants the Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus the exclusive right to regulate and administer its internal affairs and recognizes the Vakf, an Islamic institution that manages land that Muslims have donated as an endowment for charitable purposes as well as sites of worship. The government granted Turkish Cypriots access to religious sites in the area it controls, including for visits by approximately 1,000 Turkish Cypriots and foreign nationals to Hala Sultan Tekke Mosque on three occasions. Six of eight mosques in the government-controlled area were open for all five daily prayers and had the necessary facilities for ablutions; two other mosques were also open but lacked some facilities. The government did not grant permission to religious groups to make upgrades at mosques. The government ombudsman’s office reported the legal requirement to note persons’ religion on the Civil Marriage Certificate violated the right to privacy and exposed them to possible discrimination. A state nursery school took students to a church to worship “holy remains” without the consent of their parents. The ombudsman concluded the visit was incompatible with the principles of religious freedom and the state’s neutrality towards all religions. The government required those who objected to military service on religious grounds to perform alternate service for longer periods.
The Jewish community reported incidents of assault, verbal harassment, and vandalism. Some religious minority groups reported pressure to engage in religious ceremonies of majority groups. Members of the Greek Orthodox majority reported they sometimes faced social ostracism from the Greek Orthodox community if they converted to another religion, including Islam. Leaders of the main religious groups on the island continued to meet. The religious leaders made a joint call through the press for further easing of restrictions on freedom of religion, including on access to neglected places of worship and cemeteries. A mosque in a rural area was damaged extensively after an arson attack.
U.S. embassy staff met with the government, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and religious leaders to discuss religious freedom issues, including access to religious sites island-wide. The U.S. Special Representative for Religion and Global Affairs discussed the state of religious freedom with religious leaders, such as the mufti of Cyprus and the Greek Orthodox archbishop. Embassy officials encouraged religious leaders to continue their dialogue and hold reciprocal visits to places of religious significance on either side of the “green line.”