Pafos Live 18 July 2026
According to information, the main reason that did not allow the immediate release of the father, the three-year-old boy, is that the investigators do not yet have before them the results of the laboratory tests of the samples taken from the father.
The file of the case of the death of the three-year-old child in a hotel in Chloraka was returned to the Police. Members of the Paphos Police Department transferred the file to the legal service asking for instructions on the further handling of the case.
Instructions were given to carry out specific actions to complete the examinations while the suspect remains in custody. His detention order expires next Tuesday.
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A quantity of cannabis, with a total gross weight of seven kilograms, was located and confiscated by YKAN in Larnaca. To facilitate the investigations, a 30-year-old man was arrested.
In the context of the cooperation of YKAN, with services of other countries as well as the Cyprus Customs Department, after evaluation and utilization of information, two postal packages were identified, which arrived in Cyprus from a foreign country. From the tests that followed, it was found that there was a quantity of cannabis inside the two packages, with a total gross weight of seven kilograms.
From the police examinations that followed, testimony was obtained against a 30-year-old man, who was arrested today by virtue of a court warrant and taken into custody.
The arrest of the 30-year-old was followed by a search of his apartment, during which the following were located and confiscated:
- Amount of cannabis with a gross weight of 10 grams
- Quantity of cocaine with a gross weight of 10 grams
- A grinder with traces of cannabis
- Utensils for the use of narcotic substances
- A precision scale and
- Two half-smoked cigarettes containing cannabis.
Members of the Famagusta Police Department arrested a 19-year-old during the night, for committing a total of eleven cases of burglary and theft, committed during the months of June and July, in Ayia Napa.
Specifically, shortly after 1:00 in the morning, information was received to the Police about a person who was moving suspiciously in a hotel unit in Ayia Napa.
Members of the Famagusta Police Department, after going to the scene, spotted a suspicious person leaving a hotel room. After the person in question was stopped, it was found that he was a 19-year-old who was in possession of a shoulder bag, which contained, among other things, a sum of €315, a wallet and two gold chains.
The 19-year-old was not able to give satisfactory explanations as to the legality of the possession of the above property, and was arrested for a flagrante delicto, while he was then identified as the perpetrator of ten other cases of burglary and theft, committed during the months of June and July, in Ayia Napa.
The 19-year-old is expected to appear before the Famagusta District Court today, for the purpose of issuing a detention order.
The TAE of Famagusta continues the exams.
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Filenews
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, ten persons were arrested, for various offenses including possession of narcotic substances, burglary, illegal possession of property and illegal stay.
During the night, 684 vehicles were stopped for inspection and 849 drivers and passengers were checked. At the same time, 56 inspections of premises were carried out, from which six complaints emerged.
During traffic checks carried out, 370 complaints were made about various traffic violations, of which 63 concern speeding. A total of 294 alcohol tests were performed, with 30 positive results, as well as eleven preliminary drug tests with three positive results. Also, as part of the police examinations, 18 vehicles were detained.
Policing operations, for the prevention and suppression of crime, continue every day, with an enhanced police presence, targeted controls and immediate operational action, in order to protect citizens and ensure public order.
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More than 1400 ampoules containing nitrous oxide (laughing gas) were confiscated by members of the Police, after a coordinated operation during the night, in nightclubs in Ayia Napa.
Specifically, during the night, members of the Y.K.A.N., with the assistance of members of the M.M.A.D., carried out a coordinated operation, on the basis of a court order, in nightclubs in Ayia Napa.
During the operation, four premises were checked, where in three of them, a total of 1423 ampoules containing nitrous oxide (a controlled pharmaceutical substance), also known as laughing gas, 455 balloons and three metal canisters were found and confiscated.
As part of the operation, two persons were arrested for illegal
possession of a Class B controlled drug.
The Ayia Napa Police Station continues the examinations.
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A 29-year-old man was arrested yesterday afternoon by members of the Nicosia Police Department, to facilitate investigations, regarding three investigated cases of copper theft, committed between the dates of July 15 - 17, in the province of Nicosia.
Specifically, it was reported to the Police yesterday by an employee of a construction site in Strovolos, that copper from cables was stolen from the electrical station of the area. In the context of the investigation of the case by members of the Nicosia Police Department, testimony emerged against a 29-year-old man, who was arrested shortly after six in the afternoon of the same day, on the basis of a court warrant.
During the investigation of the case, testimony was also obtained against the 29-year-old for the commission of two other cases of theft of copper from cables, which were committed between July 15 and 17, in the province of Nicosia.
The 29-year-old is expected to appear before the Nicosia District Court today, for the purpose of issuing a detention order.
The TAE of Nicosia continues the examinations.
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A 42-year-old man was arrested last night by members of the Famagusta Police Department, for committing two cases involving burglary and theft from a hotel, as well as theft from containers of a building under construction, committed during the month of January 2026, in the province of Famagusta.
Specifically, in the context of investigating cases of burglary and theft of a quantity of copper and sanitary ware from a hotel in Protaras, as well as the violation of five containers from a building under construction in Ayia Napa, and the theft of a large number of tools, cables as well as a car, which were committed during January 2026, members of the Famagusta Police Department, proceeded yesterday to arrest a 42-year-old man, on the basis of a court order.
The 42-year-old appeared today before the Famagusta District Court, which issued a detention order for him for a period of three days.
The TAE of Famagusta continues the exams.
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The Police proceeded to arrest another person in connection with the terrorism case that was revealed last May in Larnaca.
The information was confirmed by the TAE Larnaca, stating that in cooperation with other services of the Republic, they proceeded to arrest a person, a third-country national, who was transferred to Cyprus following a coordinated operation.
His arrest concerns the same offenses faced by the three people who have already been remanded in custody.
The three defendants, according to the indictment, face 11 serious charges (terrorism and conspiracy to murder, etc.), since they allegedly acted on behalf of Hamas and prepared a strike against Israeli interests in Cyprus.
The suspect appeared before the Larnaca District Court and a detention order was issued against him for eight days.
TAE Larnaca continues the exams.
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The Court of Appeal rejected the appeal of the Attorney General against the sentence imposed on a 24-year-old for aiding the illegal entry of immigrants into the Republic, ruling that the four-year prison sentence is not manifestly inadequate and corresponds to both the seriousness of the offenses and the personal circumstances of the convicted.
The case concerned a foreign man, who was found guilty by the Larnaca Criminal Court, after a hearing, of assisting the illegal entry of third-country nationals into the Republic and of assisting a prohibited immigrant to enter Cyprus. For the second charge, no separate sentence was imposed, as its events were included in the first.
According to the findings of the court of first instance, the convict was the operator of a boat that sailed from Tartus, Syria, to Cyprus, carrying 19 people, including four minors. The boat had a capacity to carry only five people, did not have life-saving equipment and had undergone modifications to carry more passengers, resulting in an increased risk of water ingress from the stern. The 24-year-old had agreed to receive a fee of $2.000 for navigating the boat.
The Attorney General argued before the Court of Appeal that the sentence imposed was manifestly insufficient, pointing out that this offense is punishable by a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and asked for a harsher sentence.
The Court of Appeal found that the Criminal Court had correctly assessed all the aggravating and mitigating factors. In particular, he had taken into account the particular risk of the operation, the large number of passengers, the fact that they were illegal immigrants who were not related to the accused, and that his motive was economic benefit.
At the same time, the court of first instance took into account as mitigating factors the young age of the convict, who was 24 years old, his clean criminal record, his unfavourable personal circumstances and the fact that he was not the organizer of the trip, but had only undertaken the navigation of the boat.
In its decision, the Court of Appeal reiterated that its intervention in the amount of the sentence is allowed only when it is manifestly insufficient or excessive or when an error of principle is found. As it is pointed out, the determination of the sentence is primarily the responsibility of the court of first instance and the role of the Court of Appeal is limited to checking the correctness of the sentence imposed.
In conclusion, the Court ruled that the four-year prison sentence reflects both the seriousness of the offenses and the personal data of the convicted person, without it being able to be described as manifestly insufficient. It also found that there was no error of principle in the determination of the sentence, rejected the appeal of the Attorney General and upheld the decision of the Larnaca Criminal Court in its entirety.
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Despite the seriousness of the case, which concerned the possession and acquisition of almost 1,000 files of child pornography, the Court of Appeal ruled that the sentences imposed on a 31-year-old man were not manifestly inadequate, rejecting the appeal of the Attorney General and upholding in its entirety the first-instance decision of the Nicosia District Court.
The convict had received prison sentences of 18 months for obtaining 792 files of child pornography, 14 months for possession of three files and 30 months for obtaining 186 files depicting children under the age of 13. The sentences were ordered to be concurrent, while decrees were also issued to supervise and exclude him from places frequented by children for a period of three years after his release.
The Attorney General argued in his appeal that the sentences were manifestly inadequate, citing the seriousness of the offenses, the particularly severe maximum penalties provided for by law – up to ten years in prison for the first two charges and up to life imprisonment for the third – as well as the need to impose dissuasive penalties due to the exacerbation of such offenses. He also argued that the court of first instance gave too much weight to the mitigating factors and did not sufficiently assess the aggravating factors.
According to the facts of the case, a total of almost 1,000 child pornography files of varying degrees of severity were found on the defendant's laptop, while the examinations also revealed BitTorrent and uTorrent file sharing programs installed. In addition, for the third category, which concerned children under 13 years of age, it was found that 54 of the 186 records depicted sexual activity between adults and children.
The Court of Appeal reiterated that child pornography offenses are particularly serious and require strict and dissuasive treatment, as they constitute a serious violation of children's rights and fuel their sexual exploitation. He referred to the relevant case law of the Supreme Court, according to which the demand for such material is a key factor that sustains its production.
However, the court recalled that the intervention of the Court of Appeal in sentences is allowed only when they are manifestly inadequate or excessive or when an error of principle is found. It held that the court of first instance had been correctly guided by case law and had taken into account both aggravating and mitigating factors.
The latter included the convict's clean criminal record, the admission of the offenses, his remorse, as well as his special family circumstances. The court took into account that the 31-year-old had been working since the age of 15, was an important source of income for his family and supported his parents, who are facing serious health problems.
Referring in particular to the 30-month sentence for the 186 files involving children under the age of 13, the Court of Appeal noted that the court of first instance showed "the maximum possible leniency" due to the special family circumstances of the accused. Although he described the case as marginal, he concluded that the sentence imposed is still within the permissible limits and cannot be considered manifestly insufficient.
In conclusion, the Court of Appeal rejected all the grounds of appeal of the Attorney General and upheld the first instance decision in its entirety.
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An appeal against the prison sentence imposed on a person guilty of two counts of attempted murder was rejected by the Court of Appeal in its decision dated July 9, upholding the first-instance judgment that the sentences of 16 years are not manifestly excessive.
The Court of Appeal ruled that the Criminal Court correctly assessed the seriousness of the offenses, in which a man and a six-year-old child were shot wounded, as well as all the mitigating circumstances that had been put forward in favor of the convicted.
The case concerned a total of seven charges for offenses committed in December 2022 in Larnaca, including conspiracy to commit murder, two counts of attempted murder, possession and transportation of a category A firearm, as well as possession and transportation of ammunition.
The appellant had admitted all charges before the Larnaca Criminal Court, which sentenced him to seven years in prison for conspiracy to commit murder, sixteen years for each of the two counts of attempted murder and six years for each of the charges relating to weapons and ammunition.
In his appeal, the convicted person argued that the Criminal Court wrongly imposed the same sentence for both counts of attempted murder, without sufficient justification, while he also claimed that the sentences of 16 years were manifestly excessive.
The Court of Appeal rejected both grounds of appeal, holding that the first-instance decision was fully reasoned. As it states, "the responsibility of the appellant is the same for both victims, as well as the seriousness of the offense with regard to both", adding that different treatment of the two categories "would lead to an absurd result".
In its decision, the Court of Appeal also cites the reasoning of the Criminal Court, according to which the convict "fired indiscriminately at the victims and did not stop until the military rifle he was using was emptied of bullets", while "he proceeded to carry out the acts with the sole criterion of the reward he would receive".
The Court also notes that both the main target of the attack and the six-year-old child in the vehicle were seriously injured in the attack. For the child, it is reported that he is still being monitored by a clinical psychologist, due to the mental upset he suffered.
In relation to the sentence, the Court of Appeal points out that the Criminal Court took into account for the benefit of the convicted his admission, his clean criminal record, his personal and family circumstances, his addiction to drugs, as well as his cooperation with the Police after his arrest. However, it considered that these elements could not reduce the gravity of the offences.
Referring to the case law, the Court of Appeal recalls that "human life is the highest good and its deprivation is the greatest crime", underlining that the severe punishment of such crimes serves the deterrent purpose of criminal law.
In conclusion, the Court held that "the sentences imposed can in no way be described as manifestly excessive", finding that they are "balanced and fair sentences", which were imposed after all mitigating factors had been taken into account. Therefore, it dismissed the appeal in its entirety and upheld the decision of the Larnaca Criminal Court.
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The Supreme Court has granted permission to a person being investigated for offences of unlawful access to information systems, unlawful interference with data and unlawful interception, to register an application for the issuance of a privileged Certiorari order, with the aim of reviewing the legality of a decree that allowed access to his telecommunications data.
The decision was issued on July 16, 2026, with the Supreme Court ruling that there is a "prima facie" question of whether the offenses under investigation fall under the concept of a "serious offense", a condition required by the Constitution and the relevant legislation for access to telecommunications data.
The case concerned a telecommunications data access order, which was issued by the Nicosia District Court in April 2026, pursuant to the Telecommunications Data Retention for the Purpose of Investigating Serious Criminal Offences Act 2007.
According to the facts brought before the Supreme Court, the applicant was arrested in June 2026, following the issuance of an arrest warrant, on suspicion of offenses of illegal access to information systems, illegal interference with data and illegal interception.
After his arrest, he was brought before the Larnaca District Court, which ordered his detention for four days as part of the police investigation. After the completion of the detention period, he was released.
He was then informed of the existence of the decree for access to telecommunications data and, after obtaining a copy of the decree and the relevant application that accompanied it, he asked the Supreme Court for permission to register an application for a Certiorari order.
The applicant's lawyer argued that the decree was issued in violation of Article 17 of the Constitution and the Telecommunications Data Retention Law (Law 183(I)/2007), as the access of the authorities to telecommunications data is allowed only under certain conditions.
As he mentioned, Article 17 of the Constitution protects the confidentiality of communication and allows interference with it, among other things, following a court order for the investigation of serious criminal offenses. According to him, "serious offenses" are considered to be those for which, in case of conviction, a prison sentence of five years or more is provided.
According to the applicant's lawyer, the offenses for which the investigation was being conducted in this case did not meet this condition, as they provide for a maximum prison sentence that "does not exceed five years". It therefore argued that there was no justification for issuing an order for access to its customer's telecommunications data.
The Supreme Court noted in its decision that privileged warrants, such as the Certiorari, are an exceptional remedy and are granted only in cases where it is established, inter alia, that there is a lack or excess of jurisdiction or a manifest error of law.
Examining the request, the Court held that: "A prima facie question arises as to whether the offenses under investigation fall under the concept of "serious offense", provided for in Article 17.2(C) of the Constitution and the Telecommunications Data Retention Law 183(I)/2007, in order to justify the interference with the applicant's telecommunications data".
The Court clarified that at this stage it does not examine the merits of the case, nor does it decide whether the decree in question was ultimately lawful, but only whether there is a "prima facie" case and a "debatable issue" that allows the proceedings to be initiated.
As a result, permission was granted to register an application for a privileged Warrant of Certiorari, which will be examined at a later stage.
