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Witness History

The 'Cyprus Emergency'

Witness History

BBC

Personal Journals, Society & Culture, History

4.5 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 19 March 2026

⏱️ 11 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Between 1955 and 1959, a Greek-Cypriot paramilitary group called EOKA rebelled against British colonial rule in Cyprus. In response, the British authorities declared a state of emergency.

A young Cypriot lawyer named Renos Lyssiotis joined EOKA. He was interrogated and imprisoned by the British authorities for nearly two years. He looks back on the period with Ben Henderson.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.

For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

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(Photo: Camp Kokkinotrimithia in Cyprus where the British imprisoned suspected EOKA fighters, 1956. Credit: Jack Esten/Getty Images)

Transcript

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0:00.0

BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts.

0:07.0

An early start here. It's time to kick off.

0:10.0

Your day. Morning!

0:11.9

What a line-up.

0:13.3

Oh, thanks very much. We do get some great guests on the show.

0:16.1

The crowd is loving this.

0:18.3

Thanks, guys. Thank you. Too kind.

0:20.2

From morning chaos to match day commentary.

0:23.6

And everything in between.

0:25.0

BBC sounds packed with personality.

0:33.8

Hello and welcome to witness history from the BBC World Service with me, Ben Henderson.

0:39.1

We're the podcast that takes you back to the biggest moments in living memory by interviewing someone who was there.

0:44.7

Episodes are just nine minutes long and come out every weekday, so hit subscribe and you'll never miss out.

0:50.3

In this episode, we're going to the Mediterranean island of Cyprus in the 1950s, when a Greek-Cypriot paramilitary group called Aeoka,

0:58.2

rebelled against British colonial rule, causing the British authorities to declare a state of emergency.

1:04.9

Cyprus, ruled by Britain for nearly 80 years, but overwhelmingly Greek in population hits the headlines again.

1:11.3

Ayoka wanted the island to be united politically with Greece, a movement known as Enosis.

1:16.9

The cause was supported by a young Cypriot lawyer called Renos Lishotis. In 1955, he often

1:22.4

represented those accused of involvement with Ayoka in court. On one occasion, two young men and a teenager shot dead a British soldier.

1:30.4

Renos was tasked with saving them from the death penalty.

1:35.1

He looked at me and I said, Mr. Reynolds,

1:38.8

we know we are going to die.

...

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