Tekin Arhun’s Prison Sentence Reduced From Four Years to Two, Release Expected Following Decision

Arhun had been tried at the Nicosia Assize Court alongside former Tourism Planning Director Turgut Muslu on charges of “Issuing a Forged Document” and “Circulating Forged Documents” after two separate pages of a working report linked to the Bafra Tourism Investment Area Wastewater Treatment and Sewerage Construction Project were allegedly falsified. Both defendants were previously sentenced to four years in prison.

The High Court concluded the appeal proceedings, overturning the lower court’s ruling and reducing Arhun’s prison sentence from four years to two. Having been in prison since April 2024, Arhun has effectively completed the revised sentence. He is now expected to be released in the coming days, subject to a decision by the Conditional Release Board.

Background

Following lengthy hearings at the Nicosia Assize Court, Arhun was sentenced on 20 August 2025 to four years’ imprisonment for the offences of issuing forged documents and circulating forged documents. The defence subsequently appealed the sentence.

After hearings at the High Court, the panel of judges announced its decision today, reducing the four-year prison sentence handed down by the lower court to two years.