Conflicting accounts emerged on Sunday over the child pornography charges related to 30-year-old Turkish Cypriot Cenk Tosunoglu, after his arrest at the Agios Dometios crossing point on Thursday.
The Republic's police press office confirmed to Politis to the Point that Tosunoglu was released at around 1pm after he was charged in writing with child pornography offences.
Nonetheless, Tosunoglu's father, Turkish Cypriot politician Hasan Tosunoglu posted on Facebook that all charges against his son had been dropped. He said his son had been released "after his innocence was established."
Asked to comment on the contradiction, a spokesman for the police force reiterated that the 30-year-old had been charged in writing and only then released.
Reunited with family in the north
"Cenk is currently in the TRNC and is with his family," Hasan Tosunglu posted on Sunday afternoon. "The baseless allegations against him have been completely dropped. As his family, we are naturally delighted that Cenk's innocence has been established.
"But I cannot say when the pain of those three dark days we endured will subside. Our greatest support throughout this process has been our boundless love and trust in Cenk."
Cenk Tosunoglu had appeared before the Nicosia District Court on Friday, where he was remanded in custody for three days, after his arrest a day earlier.
CNA reported that Cenk handed over his mobile phone to investigators, along with his access codes, and consented to the device being unlocked through facial recognition. Police forensic checks of the phone’s contents did not reveal any evidence linking the suspect’s accounts to the alleged offences.
The case file has since been forwarded by the police to the legal service for further action, CNA specified.
Hasan Tosunoglu had described the allegations as “horrific misinformation” and “defamation” on Thursday, and suggested political motives behind the arrest.