The Cyprus Investigative Reporting Network (CIReN) has successfully traced and contacted the source of a photograph depicting a blindfolded Greek Cypriot prisoner of war from 1974, which recently circulated on social media. As a result, Selim Esen, a Turkish citizen who served as a correspondent for the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) in Cyprus during 1974, confirmed to CIReN that the image is genuine and that the original print remains in his possession.
According to a report published by CIReN, while the photograph has reignited public debate concerning the fate of thousands of individuals missing since the war, it had also provoked skepticism regarding its authenticity. The initial version of the image was shared on 4 May by researcher Odysseas Christou, who administers the Facebook group "1974 Witness Testimonies & Evidence".
The photograph captures three individuals. A blindfolded man, presumably a prisoner of war, stands in the centre with his hands secured behind his back. A civilian standing to the right places his hand on the blindfolded man’s shoulder, while an armed soldier stands to his left. All three individuals are positioned in front of a black Mercedes vehicle.
Digital analysis and AI clarification
Initial verification checks conducted by CIReN utilizing specialized artificial intelligence detection tools proved inconclusive. Several AI detectors flagged that the photograph had undergone processing, though none indicated that the image was entirely AI-generated.
As noted in the CIReN article, similar to previous historical photographs published by Christou within the group, this specific image had been digitally colorized and enhanced. This digital optimization, likely achieved through AI enhancement tools, accounts for the electronic signatures detected in the initial file.
In response to social media commentary questioning the image's authenticity, Christou published a second, black-and-white version of the same photograph. This uncropped variant reveals additional individuals and a broader view of the background. Alongside this update, Christou asserted with certainty that the photograph was captured by a member of a TRT television crew led by journalist Selim Esen.
Confirmation from the original source
To verify Christou's claims, CIReN established direct contact with Esen. The former TRT journalist, now 83 years old, explicitly identified himself to the network, stating that the individual on the right wearing civilian clothing is him.
Esen clarified that, to the best of his recollection, the civilian standing directly next to the blindfolded man on the left was a member of the Turkish Resistance Organisation (TMT). He added that the photograph was taken in Mia Milia on 14 August 1974, the precise day the second phase of the Turkish military operation commenced. The shot was captured by his cameramen colleagues, either Vedat Gurez or Sonat Konor, who had accompanied him to Cyprus during his deployment for the TRT News Centre.
According to official data maintained by the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP), a total of 2,002 Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots were registered as missing from the intercommunal violence and conflict spanning the 1963–1974 period. More than half of these individuals remain unaccounted for.
