Nightclub owner launches legal battle

A NIGHTCLUB owner has launched a legal battle against Lefkoşa Turkish Municipality after his business — and four other clubs — were closed down by the council last month on the grounds they did not have a permit.

Ali Kalyon, owner of the King nightclub, was chosen as a test case by the High Administrative Court on Wednesday from a group of applicants seeking an injunction against Lefkoşa Mayor Mehmet Harmancı.

Mr Kalyon told a hearing that his nightclub had previously operated near the “Religious Estate” until 1993 before the government decided that all such establishments would have to relocate away from built-up areas.

He said he had spent £2.5 million on his club, now on a plot of land near Haspolat which he purchased 25 years ago.

“We have built two buildings there and two swimming pools and we obtained all the necessary permits from the municipality up until 2017,” he told the court.

Mr Kalyon claimed that when he had attempted to renew his business permit, officials had refused to accept the application “because that had been the order of the mayor”.

He said the Gender Equality Commission “did not talk” to him and stressed that he had no convictions for human trafficking or soliciting.

“I reject the claims that I force the women to work as sex slaves,” Mr Kalyon said in court. “I am in the right in this case. My income has stopped. I cannot look after my family. Around 90 to 100 people earn their living at this workplace.

“Because [it] has been closed, all these people have lost their livelihoods. The municipality closed it down all of a sudden.”

Mr Kalyon said he had discussed his situation with Interior Minister Ayşegül Baybars Kadri but she had said she could not intervene because the case was before the courts.

“She told us that all the nightclubs at Alayköy have been given permits,” he said. “Why not us then?”

The case was adjourned to a later date.