Nikos Sampson

Nikos Sampson (December 16, 1935 – May 9, 2001) was a Cypriot politician. He was the leader of Cyprus for eight days in 1974. He had been active in EOKA before Cyprus became independent from the United Kingdom. EOKA wanted Cyprus and Greece to become a single country, and fought with the Turks in Cyprus. Afterwards, he became active in EOKA-B, which was a continuation of EOKA. In 1974, EOKA-B overthrew the government of Cyprus, and chose Nikos Sampson as President. Soon afterward, Turkey invaded Cyprus, and Nikos Sampson resigned from office. Afterward, he was tried for treason, and sent to prison for twenty years. Nikos Sampson died in 2001.