A video showing a protected sea turtle being mistreated has caused anger in Cyprus. The turtle later died. Many people are very concerned about this event. Environmental activists want a full criminal investigation. They also want the four people involved to be punished. They think the current punishment is too small for what happened.
Friends of the Earth Cyprus, an environmental group, has written to the government. They do not agree with the government's findings. They want all the evidence to be looked at again carefully. The incident happened on a beach in Chlorakas. The video became public last week. Many people are upset by the video. They are also unhappy with how the police first reacted.
The police have charged four people. However, the charges are only for minor public nuisance. Environmentalists say this charge does not match the seriousness of the actions. The environmental group wants stronger action. They wrote a letter to the Minister of Agriculture. They explained their concerns and analysed the video.
The letter asks for new interviews with the suspects. It also asks for all evidence to be checked again. The group wants to see information about how the government handles these cases. They believe the people involved caused the death of the protected animal. Cypriot law has serious penalties for this. The activists say the current charges are not enough.
This situation shows that environmentalists are worried about how laws are enforced. They want to stop similar events from happening again. They want tougher rules for protecting nature in Cyprus. The Ministry of Agriculture is now facing pressure to respond. This case could be important for future cases of animal cruelty.