Pafos Live 17 January 2026
For the second time in a few weeks, the same store is targeted by arsonists. According to the police, around 3am today, a fire broke out in a paddock/car showroom in Mesogi owned by a 58-year-old man. Members of the Police and the Fire Service rushed to the scene and extinguished the fire.
From the preliminary examinations, extensive damage was caused to 8 cars, 11 motorcycles, 3 golf-type electric vehicles and a jetski. Further examinations will be carried out this morning by the Paphos TAE.
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An incident of poaching hares using four-wheeled motorcycles within the Dead Zone, in the area between the communities of Mammari and Denia, is being investigated by the Game and Fauna Service, after information about shots received yesterday shortly after 18:00.
According to a post by the Service, two patrols were initially mobilized at the scene, which were then reinforced with two more, as part of an operation to locate and stop the suspects. The four-wheeled motorcycles were spotted and a concerted effort was made to stop them, but due to the morphology of the area – an open lowland with cultivated and muddy fields, the pursuit became extremely difficult.
During the operation, one motorcycle was pursued, while the second headed towards the occupied areas, as a result of which the suspects escaped.
However, by monitoring their movements, a point within the Buffer Zone was identified where the prey had been hidden. In a subsequent inspection, members of the Game and Fauna Service found four freshly killed hares in nylon bags, which were confiscated as evidence.
Investigations in the area continued this morning, with the aim of identifying additional evidence and identifying the perpetrators, according to the Service.
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Filenews
The Police arrested seven persons for different offenses throughout Cyprus. Among the offenses are burglary, theft and illegal stay in our country.
The dynamic and targeted preventive operations of the Police continued during last night, with an enhanced presence in key points of urban areas, with the aim of preventing serious criminal acts, protecting citizens and ensuring public order.
As part of these operations, the Police proceeded to arrest a total of seven persons on a nationwide basis.
In the province of Limassol, two persons were arrested for offenses related to burglary of a building for the purpose of theft, two persons for theft of a car and property as well as one person for illegal stay on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus.
In the province of Nicosia, a person was arrested for illegally staying on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus.
In the province of Paphos, a person was arrested for disobeying a court order.
During the same night, 39 inspections of premises were also carried out, with the aim of timely prevention and suppression of delinquent behaviours, which resulted in 4 complaints related to operating license, sale of alcoholic beverages and sound emission.
As regards the road network, more than 800 checks were carried out, which resulted in more than 122 traffic complaints, of which 38 concerned exceeding the speed limit.
More than 370 checks were also carried out for driving under the influence of alcohol, which resulted in 49 driver complaints.
Also, as part of the investigation of traffic offenses, 6 cars were detained.
These operations are part of a broad, continuous and strengthened preventive plan of the Police, with an increased police presence, targeted controls and immediate operational action in all provinces, with the aim of preventing crime and strengthening the sense of security of citizens.
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A new incident of violence was recorded at a school in Larnaca, when a high school student attacked a teacher, going so far as to beat her.
According to information from Filenews, the alleged perpetrator is a 13-year-old. Specifically, he allegedly hit the teacher in the stomach with his fists, after remarks she made to him. The teacher filed a complaint with the Larnaca Police last Wednesday, which began investigating the case. The teacher was examined by doctors at the Larnaca hospital
As we were told due to the fact that the student is criminally irresponsible (i.e. under 14 years old), a specific procedure was put in place that is followed in these cases.
The Spokesman of the Larnaca Police Department, Spyros Chrysostomou, said that the case is being investigated in cooperation with other services of the Ministry of Education and the Social Welfare Services.
As stated by the president of the Confederation of Secondary Education Parents' Associations, Loizos Konstantinou, the case has already been put into the process of management in accordance with the prescribed regulations. "The process has taken its course, what is provided for by the regulations will be done. We will not even examine whether he was right or wrong to react, the reaction is not to slap anyone, let alone a teacher," he said.
Mr. Konstantinou, speaking to SIGMA, added that "we have reached the point of violence", noting that he contacted the president of OELMEK to convey the parents' support to the teachers. "I condemn any form of violence. Teachers, whatever complaint a student or parent has, can file a complaint but in no case does he clapping against the teacher," he said.
The President of the Federation of Parents' Associations of Secondary and Technical Education of Larnaca, Costas Costa, told KYPE that "we condemn the event and ask for its full investigation and accountability". He noted that "the incident is particularly worrying, which is why all preventive measures should be taken, and where necessary, specific measures to deal with the phenomenon of delinquency."
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An extremely important decision concerning the Cyprus Theatre Organisation and the dominant position it holds in theatrical events, was issued by the Administrative Court of Appeal.
Following an appeal by the Commission for the Protection of Competition, the Court of Appeal annulled a first-instance decision annulling a decision of the PSC to impose a fine on THOC for possession and controlled abuse of a dominant position. The Court of Appeal held that the PSC was right to point out that THOC could not distribute the state sponsorship to private theaters and at the same time be financed unhindered by the state and essentially compete with private theaters.
The matter was examined by the PSC when a private theatre organisation denounced the Cyprus Theatre Organisation in 2018 for possession and controlled abuse of a dominant position, in violation of the then applicable Competition Protection Laws (hereinafter "Law 13(I) of 2008").
After examining the complaint, the PSC considered that THOC was abusing its dominant position in the theatrical market because - while competing with private theaters - it was responsible for the approval and distribution of the state subsidy to these private theaters, with the result that (a) it chose the degree of economic power of its direct competitors, while he himself was financed by the State unhindered, and (b) to obtain sensitive information about these competitors through their grant applications.
On 8.8.2019, the PSC imposed on THOC an administrative fine amounting to 5% of its turnover for the year 2018, a decision which was published in the Official Gazette of the Republic dated 22.11.2019.
THOC reacted to this decision with an appeal where the Court of First Instance ruled that the competence to distribute state sponsorships to private theaters fell within the objectives of THOC according to Article 6 of Law 71 of 1970, which is why it ruled that the transfer of competence proposed by the PSC (from the Board of Directors of THOC to an independent internal committee) was prohibited by Article 17(4) of the General Principles of Administrative Law Laws in the absence of legislative which would allow such a transfer. Following that finding, it annulled the PSC's decision.
The Committee appealed the decision and the Administrative Court of Appeal agreed with its position, ruling that clearly, the Board of Directors of THOC could - on the basis of Article 3(2) of Law 23 of 1962 - delegate the disputed competence of state subsidy of private theatres, inter alia, to a technical, independent committee composed of members of the staff which THOC is subject to under Article 8 of Law 71 of 1970, as any member of staff reasonably falls within the jurisdiction of the Board of Directors. It also considered as erroneous the position of THOC, as developed at first instance and/or before the Court of Appeal, that its Board of Directors was the only one legally competent to exercise the competence in question and that it could not legally delegate the competence.
In conclusion, the Court of Appeal states and with all due respect, the Court of First Instance erroneously adopted THOC's position that its Board of Directors was the only one - by law - competent for the state subsidy of private theaters and that there was no legal way to delegate this responsibility. It was the final judgment of the Court that the appeal succeeds and the appealed decision date. 11.2.2022.
At the same time, the Court of Appeal referred to the Court of First Instance for a priority examination of the other grounds for annulment raised by THOC at first instance and which were not examined.
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KNews
The Supreme Court of Cyprus has dismissed an application filed by a detained Russian citizen seeking to block his extradition to the Russian Federation, where he is wanted to stand trial on large-scale tax evasion charges. The Court also rejected his request for immediate release from custody.
In its ruling, the Supreme Court found that the evidence presented did not demonstrate a real or substantial risk that the applicant would suffer human rights violations, or be subjected to degrading or humiliating treatment, if returned to Russia. The judges concluded that the general conditions cited by the applicant were insufficient to justify preventing extradition.
The case follows an earlier decision by the Larnaca District Court, which on 31 October 2025 approved Russia’s extradition request. That court ordered the applicant’s detention pending transfer, after determining that the alleged offenses, corporate tax evasion on a particularly large scale under Russian criminal law, met the legal requirements for extradition.
In response, the detainee applied for a prerogative writ of Habeas Corpus ad Subjiciendum, arguing that both his continued detention and the approval of extradition were unlawful. He claimed that prison conditions in Russia involve systematic abuse, particularly of newly admitted inmates, including torture and degrading treatment.
The applicant further alleged that his prosecution was not being pursued in good faith and suggested that his personal background placed him at heightened risk. He pointed to his Ukrainian ancestry on his father’s side, while acknowledging that he was born in Moscow, holds a Russian passport, and is a Russian citizen.
The Supreme Court, however, was unconvinced. It noted that documented human rights abuses in Russia tend to affect individuals such as political activists, opposition figures, outspoken journalists, or others openly critical of the authorities. The applicant, the Court observed, does not belong to any of these categories and faces charges under ordinary criminal law rather than politically motivated accusations.
The Court also found no persuasive evidence indicating that conditions in Russian detention facilities are such that a newly arrived prisoner would, by default, face serious mistreatment from prison authorities or fellow inmates. Likewise, the applicant’s family background was not considered sufficient to place him among groups known to be targeted for abuse.
Addressing claims of bad faith prosecution, the Court stated that no objective material had been submitted to support such allegations. It added that the applicant’s account could not be verified and might have been tailored to avoid extradition.
Finally, the Supreme Court rejected the argument that extradition would likely result in an unfair trial, describing that claim as unsupported and lacking evidentiary foundation.
As a result, the extradition order remains in force, and the applicant will continue to be held in custody pending transfer to Russian authorities.
