Northern Cyprus Ads Back on the Buses
Cyprus Times Front Page
July 29, 2005
The controversial ban on the London bus adverts for holidays in The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has been overturned by the British High Court.
Judge Mr Justice Newman said Transport for London's (TfL) decision was "irrational" and awarded legal costs to the North Cyprus Tourism Centre (NCTC) and Paradise Found Travel Company (PFTC). TfL banned the posters saying some Greek Cypriots found them offensive. But Mr Justice Newman said it "carried no political message" and ruled the ban was disproportionate.
The poster, carried on London buses in 2004, showed a family on a beach below the Crusader and Venetian fortress at Kyrenia. It featured the strapline: "Pure Mediterranean...North Cyprus...A sanctuary of unspoilt beauty". In March TfL turned down a request from NCTC to re-run the advertisement, saying they were likely to cause widespread or serious offence.
But the judge said it was not the content of the poster that caused complaint, but the website it advertised, which described the NCTC as "the UK representative office of the North Cyprus Tourism Ministry". But the judge said : "I cannot accept that a prospective holidaymaker would read the website and understand it to have stated that TRNC has been recognised by Her Majesty's government as a state having power over North Cyprus. "No offensive product or service was offered by this advertisement, which merely illustrated the cultural and environmental delights of northern Cyprus."
Judge Mr Justice Newman also said that the complaint appeared to have been politically motivated and factually inaccurate. Judge Newman in his conclusions pointed out that The FCO had given no health warning on travel to North Cyprus and indeed the UK support moves to start direct flights to there.
The Judge stated that there was no evidence that TfL had taken into account its statutory duty to "provide equality of opportunity" and "good relations between persons of different racial groups"; and the ban was in error of law, error of fact and irrational. It was also in breach of NCTC and PFTC 's rights to freedom of expression under the European Convention.
'Politically-motivated'
NCTC director Yilmaz Kalfaoglu said he was pleased with the decision. "We always felt that the refusal by Transport for London was a politically-motivated decision and an infringement on the rights of a UK-registered company to advertise a holiday destination," he said.
Mr Alan Suleyman, Managing Director of PFTC said: "This is a triumph for commonsense and a great victory for justice and the human rights of not just Turkish Cypriots, but for all Cypriots seeking a just and peaceful solution to the long standing problems of Cyprus."
The UK is North Cyprus’ top tourism market, with holiday business from this country increasing by 40% last year.
A TfL spokesman said it would be "reviewing its decision in accordance with the guidance given by the court as soon as reasonably practicable." |
