At Lefkoşa (North Nicosia) Administrative Court on 5 May, 2023, the judge called both lawyers into his chambers. He explained that having examined the case, his decision would probably be the same as the original demand from Ryan Keating; that the newspaper Kıbrıs Postası publish a retraction and an apology, explaining that the story they published about him was incorrect. The newspaper agreed to those terms and to pay court expenses.
In January 2021 the newspaper had published a defamatory article about Ryan and alleged missionary activities, linking him to Andrew Brunson, an American pastor who had spent two years in a Turkish jail on trumped up terror charges. The article appeared the day after police and customs officials conducted a raid on Ryan’s home and business – Exile Café in Famagusta – confiscating Bibles and other Christian literature as well as wine and wine-making equipment.
Ryan is grateful and relieved that a settlement was made in this instance, but he faces two ongoing court cases in Famagusta for allegedly illegally importing Christian literature from the Republic of Cyprus (next hearing scheduled for 5 June) and providing training in barista skills and wine appreciation without a permit from the relevant authorities (next hearing scheduled for 6 June). Please join in thanking God for the settlement today and praying that the other cases will soon be resolved.
