Last week, video footage showing the brutal mistreatment of a protected sea turtle in Chloraka sparked widespread public outrage and raised serious concerns about how the authorities handled the case.
According to official statements, police filed charges for public nuisance, the Veterinary Services said the turtle was already dead, and the Department of Fisheries stated that prescribed procedures were followed. However, analysis of the footage and witness accounts suggest the turtle was alive during the incident and that the four individuals involved killed it instead of providing assistance, potentially committing serious criminal offences under Cyprus wildlife and animal welfare laws.
In response, a letter was sent to the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, urging the Ministry to take into account additional evidence and request a full and proper criminal investigation.
The letter calls for renewed interrogations, a possible revision of charges to reflect the gravity of the acts, and greater transparency on how the relevant legislation is enforced. It also seeks information on preventive measures and training for public authorities to avoid similar incidents in the future.
Read the letter by FOE Cyprus:
We are sending this letter regarding a video published on a news website (In Cyprus – Philenews) on 12 January 2026, which spread widely. The video shows the brutal mistreatment of a sea turtle, with one individual repeatedly throwing it to the ground and kicking it, likely intending to cause its death.
The scene also shows three other individuals, one of whom is filming. The main perpetrator appears to carefully handle the turtle to avoid its limbs and head, while the others move cautiously, likely to avoid bites. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the turtle was alive.
Following the video, a series of announcements and reports addressed how the authorities handled the incident. Police charged the perpetrators with public nuisance and released them. Veterinary Services stated the turtle had been dead for approximately 48 hours, and the Fisheries Department announced that the “Chloraka Community Council responded promptly, following the prescribed procedures.”
However, additional evidence emerged in comments on public Facebook posts from two accounts (Antreas Anastasiou and Yiannakis Agathangelou), claiming involvement and stating the turtle was “half-dead.” These accounts appear to have been deleted shortly after public outrage arose.
Considering these unverified testimonies and the audiovisual material, it appears that the perpetrators, instead of ensuring that the turtle received help and possibly medical care, killed it. Therefore, the incident seems to fall under:
(a) Article 21 of the Law on the Protection and Management of Nature and Wildlife, which prohibits, in their natural habitat, any intentional capture, killing, or harassment of fauna species of EU interest; and
(b) Article 5 of the Animal Welfare and Protection Law, which prohibits animal abuse, unnecessary suffering, subjecting an animal to circumstances causing its death, or killing an animal for unlawful purposes.
We therefore expect your Ministry to seriously consider the additional evidence and request that the Police conduct a full and proper investigation of the incident, including renewed interrogations of the four individuals involved in the video, and potentially revise the charges so that they accurately reflect the severity of the offences.
Additionally, we would like to request environmental information on the following:
- What internal procedure does your Ministry follow when an incident occurs that falls under Article 21 of the Law on the Protection and Management of Nature and Wildlife, with the aim of prosecuting those who violate it?
- What internal procedure does your Ministry follow when an incident occurs that falls under Article 5 of the Animal Welfare and Protection Law, with the aim of prosecuting offenders?
- What measures does your Ministry take for environmental education of staff in Community Councils or other government departments responsible for handling injured or dead turtles?
We consider it the Ministry’s highest duty to ensure that legislation on animal abuse and killing is strictly enforced and that measures are taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.
We look forward to your responses and remain available for any clarifications.
Also read: Chloraka: Sea turtle dead for two days – Four appear in court
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