Abstract

Transitional justice aims to ensure accountability, eliminate cultures of impunity and promote democracy, stability and reconciliation in order to achieve long-term peace. It encompasses both judicial and non-judicial approaches. These measures typically include criminal prosecutions, truth-seeking initiatives, reparations, institutional reforms and efforts to promote national reconciliation. In contexts where significant human rights violations have occurred, transitional justice frameworks are designed to ensure accountability, recognize victims’ rights to reparations and implement various forms of institutional reform.

This lecture will first outline the Cyprus Problem in detail. It will then examine whether a bi-communal and bi-zonal structure is acceptable to Cypriots and the role of the European Union in the current negotiations. It will also discuss whether Transitional Justice has an impact on the resolution of the Cyprus Problem. Finally, it will identify the similarities and differences, if any, between the Cyprus Problem and the Syrian Problem.