A Greek or Greek Cypriot man has been remanded in custody in the north after allegedly being caught with photos and videos of military facilities in Yedidalga and Güzelyurt, Turkish Cypriot media reported on Monday evening.

The man, identified as Georgios Bartzokis, was reportedly arrested by police in the north on June 27 while photographing military installations and residences. He was brought before a court on Monday.

According to police in the north, Bartzokis was found in possession of a mobile phone and camera containing pictures of Turkish Cypriot military lodgings, the Turkish Embassy, and the parliament building and further equipment including a USB stick, memory card, and voice recorder were found in his residence in the north.

Authorities said he entered the north via the Ledra Palace crossing on June 25 with a 30-day tourist visa. During questioning, Bartzokis reportedly claimed he was a traveller interested in photographing historical sites. However, he had posted an image of the parliament building on social media with a caption describing it as an “occupied area”.

Judge Tutku Candas said there was strong evidence supporting the allegations, which carry a potential five-year prison sentence, and ordered his remand for up to four days.

It remains unclear whether Bartzokis is Greek or Greek Cypriot. Media in the north referred to him as a Greek national, while other reports described him as Greek Cypriot.