A recently resurfaced photograph of a blindfolded man, believed to be a Greek Cypriot prisoner of war from 1974, has been confirmed as authentic by the Turkish journalist who says he was present when it was taken, according to a fact-check published by the Cyprus Information and Research Network (CIReN).
The image, showing a blindfolded man flanked by a civilian and an armed soldier in front of a black Mercedes, has circulated widely on social media in recent days, reigniting public debate over the fate of thousands of missing persons from the 1974 conflict in Cyprus. At the same time, it has prompted questions and scepticism about whether the photograph might have been manipulated or created using artificial intelligence tools.
Researcher’s Post and AI doubts
The first widely shared version of the photograph was posted on 4 May by researcher Odysseas Christou, administrator of the Facebook group “1974 Eyewitness Accounts and Evidence.” CIReN reports that initial checks with specialised AI detection software were inconclusive: several tools indicated signs of manipulation, but none found evidence that the image had been generated entirely by AI. According to the outlet, the version shared by Christou had been colourised and digitally enhanced—likely with the help of AI—making the presence of artificial elements unsurprising.
In response to comments from social media users suggesting the picture might be AI-generated, Christou later published a second, black-and-white version of the photo. This version shows a wider scene with more people and background detail than the original cropped image, and was presented as closer to the original material. In his reply to critics, Christou said he knew “for certain” that the picture had been taken by a member of the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) crew led by journalist Selim Esen.
Esen Confirms Authenticity and Context
To verify that claim, CIReN contacted Esen, a former TRT news reporter who covered the 1974 events in Cyprus and is now 83 years old. Esen told the outlet that the man in civilian clothes standing on the right of the blindfolded prisoner in the photograph is himself, identifying the image as part of his own wartime reporting. He said the other civilian, standing next to the blindfolded man, was, to the best of his recollection, a member of the Turkish Resistance Organisation (TMT).
Esen further stated that the photograph was taken in Mia Milia on 14 August 1974, the day Turkey launched its second military offensive in Cyprus. He said it was shot by one of his cameraman colleagues, either Vedat Gures or Sonat Konor, who had travelled to the island with him as part of the TRT team. At the time, Esen was working as a television news reporter for the TRT News Centre, covering developments on the ground.
Missing Persons Context
The confirmation of the photograph’s authenticity comes against the backdrop of ongoing efforts to clarify the fate of those who disappeared during the intercommunal violence and the 1974 conflict. According to figures cited by CIReN from the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus, a total of 2,002 Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots went missing between 1963 and 1974, and more than half remain unaccounted for.
Photo: Source