Filenews 24/4
The presence and action of the Police last night was intense, throughout Cyprus, with organized patrols in key points of urban areas, with the aim of preventing serious criminal acts, ensuring public order and increasing the sense of security of the public.
As a result of the preventive policing operations, six (6) persons were arrested for various offenses, such as illegal stay in the Republic of Cyprus, failure to appear in Court, causing concern, driving under the influence of alcohol and assault on a police officer, etc.
As part of these operations, during the night, 112 drivers and 33 passengers were stopped and checked.
At the same time, 14 inspections of premises were carried out, with the aim of dealing with phenomena of delinquency.
During traffic checks carried out, 32 complaints were made, concerning various traffic violations, while 6 investigated cases of traffic violations also emerged.
From the complaints made, 9 complaints of drivers for exceeding the speed limit stand out, while in the context of the police examinations, one (1) vehicle was detained.
There were also 30 alcohol tests, where three complaints emerged.
Coordinated policing operations, for the prevention and suppression of crime, continue daily, with an increased/enhanced police presence, targeted controls and immediate operational action, with the aim of increasing the sense of security of citizens/protecting citizens and ensuring public order.
* * * * * *
On 22/4/2026, officials of the Customs Department at the Agios Dometios crossing point, carried out an inspection of a vehicle driven by a Turkish Cypriot. During the inspection of the vehicle, 5 bags of cattle skins with a total weight of approximately 75Kg were found.
The person involved was arrested for flagrante delicto, while the animal products in question and the vehicle as their means of transport were confiscated. He was later released, after his proposal for an out-of-court settlement of the offenses with the payment of a total amount of €500 was accepted.
On 23/4/2026, officials of the Customs Department at the Agios Dometios crossing point, carried out an inspection of a vehicle driven by a Turkish Cypriot. During the inspection, 175 boxes of 200 cigarettes each, 100 boxes of 200 heated cigarettes each and packages of hookah tobacco with a total weight of 6 kg were found in the vehicle, which did not bear markings for the harmful to health in the Greek and Turkish languages, indicating that they are duty-free.
The person involved was arrested for flagrante delicto, while the tobacco products in question and the vehicle as their means of transport were confiscated. Tomorrow morning, he is expected to be brought before the Nicosia District Court to issue a detention order.
* * * * * *
As a Greek priest in Cyprus, he was sentenced to five years in prison for possession of three kilograms of drugs and for two fraud cases. His cassocks were removed and when he was released from prison in 2015, he changed his surname and studied law practicing law. In 2026, his license was revoked due to the fact that he registered as a lawyer with false representations.
The lawyer in question appealed to the Supreme Court asking for preferential warrants to overturn the decision to remove him, but a judge closed the door on him, due to lack of jurisdiction since he would have to apply to another court.
According to the facts, the applicant is a Greek citizen. He arrived in Cyprus on 4.4.2002, as a priest, was appointed to the Holy Archdiocese of Cyprus and served in various parishes. On 4.4.2012, upon his arrival from Athens at Larnaca airport, during a check of his luggage by customs, cannabis with a total weight of 2980 g was found in his luggage. He was arrested and charged before the Larnaca-Famagusta Criminal Court for the offenses of conspiracy to commit a felony, import, possession and possession of drugs for the purpose of supplying to other persons.
After his admission, and after two more cases were taken into account for the offenses of fraud, extortion of money by false representations, forgery and circulation of a forged document (one) and sale of two graves while he was a priest (the second), he was sentenced to five years in prison. On 5.2.2013 the Holy Synod deposed him and reinstated him to the order of the laity.
On 25.2.2015, after receiving a presidential pardon for 1/4 of his sentence, he was released from the Central Prisons and immediately arrested by the YAM and deported to Greece on the same day by virtue of his detention and deportation orders. In an appeal against the detention and deportation orders, they were annulled by a court decision dated. 22.10.2015.
The applicant proceeded with the legal procedures in Greece and changed his surname. After studying in Cyprus, he registered first as a trainee lawyer and then as a lawyer, while he registered with a law firm. Then a complaint arose regarding the conditions of his registration as a lawyer and the Disciplinary Board acquitted him.
On 20.4.2023, the then Director General of the Ministry of Interior sent a letter-complaint to the president of the Cyprus Bar Association, the Attorney General, on the subject "Misinformation and false information to applicants for international protection by the law firm "XX XX and Associates LLC". Among other things, the letter referred to the applicant's previous status as a priest and his conviction and requested that the Association take its own actions and inform him accordingly.
In the disciplinary investigation that was carried out, he was acquitted and a new one was carried out on the basis of the fact that he submitted false representations for his registration in the Legal Council as a trainee lawyer and consequently his approval and registration in the Register of Lawyers Practicing the Profession. This disciplinary committee was also closed after the same issues had been examined in the first disciplinary committee.
Finally, on 18.3.2026, he was served with the decision of the Council of the Cyprus Bar Association dated. 9.2.2026 for his deletion from the "Register of Lawyers" based on article 6A(4) of Cap. 2.
The Supreme Court, examining its application, stated that the first issue raised for consideration is whether the present case falls within the privileged jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. The present case, it states, concerns a power of the Council of the Pancyprian Bar Association by virtue of another Law with other powers, namely Cap. 2 and not the law by which the Association operates as a Supervisory Authority, as was the recommendation of the applicant's lawyer.
The Court's final conclusion was that it lacked jurisdiction to examine the present application, which was undoubtedly subject to rejection.
* * * * * *
Cy Mail
Proceedings in the high-profile case concerning thousands of documents removed from the central prisons were adjourned on Friday, with the Nicosia criminal court setting May 5 as the next hearing.
The postponement was granted due to the absence of a representative of the prosecution ‘for personal reasons’.
During the hearing, defence lawyer Christos Triantafyllidis, representing former prisons director Anna Aristotelous, raised concerns over access to evidence, telling the court that inspection of key documents “has not taken place to date” despite prior judicial instructions.
At the earlier session, the court ruled that disputed documents should be submitted for judicial review to determine whether withholding them from the defence is justified.
It also made clear that the burden rests with the prosecution to demonstrate why non-disclosure is necessary, while instructing that defence lawyers be allowed to inspect the material and present their positions.
The defence has maintained that full access to the classified documents is essential to ensure a fair trial, arguing that without reviewing the material in question, the accused cannot adequately respond to the charges.
Defence lawyers have repeatedly stressed that their clients cannot proceed to plead without complete knowledge of the material forming the basis of the prosecution’s case.
Eight defendants are facing trial, including Anna Aristotelous, former deputy director Athena Demetriou, five prison officers and a former employee now serving in the police.
The charges include conspiracy, theft of state property involving 48,432 documents, removal of 370 architectural plans and the alleged unlawful possession of 431 items, including USBs.
Additional allegations relate to abuse of power, specifically concerning the transfer of documents, plans and information outside the prisons, including to a private residence.
Aristotelous faces a further charge alleging that she permitted the leakage of classified material while serving as director.
The case stems from a police investigation in April 2025, when authorities discovered a large cache of documents during a search of a prison warden’s home.
The material is believed to have been removed from the central prisons between November and December 2022.
