Taşkent Martyrdom Site

Taşkent Martyrs' Cemetery is a memorial cemetery located in the village of Taşkent, within the Girne district of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. It was established to honor the memory of Turkish Cypriots killed by Greek Cypriot forces during the conflicts of 1963–1964 and the Cyprus Peace Operation of 1974, and to gather their remains in a final resting place.^【1】

^{Taşkent Şehitliği} (Güvenlik Kuvvetleri Komutanlığı)

During the conflicts and oppressive environment in Cyprus between 1963 and 1974, Turkish Cypriot civilians from the villages of Taşkent, Terazi, and Tatlısu were forcibly gathered and collectively murdered by Greek Cypriot forces and terrorists affiliated with EOKA.^【2】

Especially during the second phase of the Cyprus Peace Operation, which began on 14 August 1974, a systematic massacre was carried out against civilians gathered from these three villages. Investigations have confirmed that a total of 89 individuals were killed in this region.

The construction of Taşkent Martyrs' Cemetery was completed on 15 August 2014. The identification of the martyrs' remains was carried out through excavations and DNA testing conducted by the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus. The first burials at the cemetery took place in 2014, when 33 martyrs whose identities were confirmed by the Committee were laid to rest there. A total of 68 martyrs have been officially recorded as transferred to the cemetery through state ceremonies held on 15 August 2014 and 15 August 2016.^【3】

The cemetery contains the graves of 73 martyrs from various age groups. Not all those killed in the massacre are buried at Taşkent Martyrs' Cemetery; 11 martyrs are interred at the Canbulat Martyrs' Cemetery in Gazimağusa. Additionally, symbolic graves have been established at Taşkent Martyrs' Cemetery for four martyrs whose remains have not yet been recovered despite all efforts.^【4】

^{Dikmen Municipality's Maintenance and Repair Work} (Dikmen Belediyesi)

Located beside the cemetery area within the memorial complex is the Taşkent Martyrs' Museum. Opened to the public in 2014 with the material and moral support of the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in Nicosia and the families of the martyrs, the museum was expanded in 2016 to assume its current form.

The museum's collection displays photographs, clothing, and various personal belongings of the martyrs who were killed. The museum's inventory also includes documents related to the excavation efforts conducted to locate the martyrs' remains, photographs from the burial ceremonies, and soil samples taken from the original sites where the martyrs were collectively buried.^【5】

Routine landscaping, grounds maintenance, and cleaning services at Taşkent Martyrs' Cemetery are carried out by the Dikmen Municipality teams.^【6】