Ten years after the death of their son, Helen and Martyn Low have spoken of their ongoing heartbreak and their continued fight for justice. George Low, a 22-year-old estate agent from Dartford, was stabbed to death in Ayia Napa in August 2016 while on holiday in Cyprus.
Two men, Mehmet Akpınar and Sali Ahmet, fled to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and have never been extradited. The couple have spent the past decade seeking accountability for the killing.
A decade of grief and determination
Mrs Low recalled the moment she learned of her son's death. "I said 'well he's alright though isn't he? He's alright' and he said 'no mum, he's not alright, he's died'," she said. "You just go into shock, I didn't believe him, I said 'why are you lying? Why's everybody lying? That's not right, he is alive, he's all right.'"
The suspects are believed to now be in Turkey, which does not extradite its nationals. The parents say Cyprus has not handed evidence to Turkey to allow it to prosecute the men.
Political and legal obstacles
The couple promised George they would get justice when they identified his body. Mr Low said: "The minister at the foreign office said 'it couldn't have happened in a worse place', it was the worst place it could have happened."
The case was discussed in Parliament earlier this month. Foreign Office minister Uma Kumaran told the family the government would "continue to stand alongside" them in their "pursuit for justice."
Ongoing appeals and official response
Mrs Low has since received Facebook messages from one of the suspects blaming the other for the killing. She said: "We just want justice, we just want them to do the right thing."
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said: "Our thoughts are with the family and friends of George Low following his death in Cyprus. We continue to support his family and engage with the relevant authorities to encourage progress in the investigation."
