Police launch investigation into north ‘parliament speaker’ over coercion allegations

The Turkish Cypriot police on Tuesday launched an investigation into the north’s ‘parliament speaker’ Ziya Ozturkler, after he was reported to the police in January over allegations that he coerced university officials to award degree certificates to his political allies under false pretences.

The allegations against Ozturkler came to light in the trial of Fatma Unal, a close personal associate of the north’s ‘prime minister’ Unal Ustel.

In that trial, prosecution witness Serdal Gunduz...