Imprisoned Graves

EXCURSIONS / Archaeological Sites / Nicosia / Imprisoned Graves
The "Imprisoned Graves" is a small cemetery located in the Central Jail of Nicosia, where 13 EOKA fighters, during the 1955-1959 war for the liberation of Cyprus from the United Kingdom, were interred.

Nine of them were hanged by the British, three were killed in action and one died in hospital from his battle wounds.

The tombs were built in an area adjacent to the cells of the condemned and close to the gallows where they would be executed. The area is surrounded by tall walls and covered by glass.

The small cemetery was a brain-child of Cyprus Governor Sir John Harding who did not want the funerals of EOKA fighters to be turned into demonstrations against British rule.

The condemned, as well as the four others who died, would be buried in the area without any relatives or a priest present.

The nine men that were hanged were buried immediately following their execution. To save space, two were buried in each grave.

Evagoras Pallikaridis, Markos Drakos, Grigoris Afxentiou, Michalis Karaolis are some of the names of the heroes that were executed..

 

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