Three minors aged 15, 16, and 17 were remanded in custody for five and two days for a case of vehicle theft in Paphos. The stolen car, worth €2,000, was found abandoned in a remote area in Stavrokonou after five days.
A 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possessing child pornography, following a tip from Europol about uploads of videos involving sexual abuse of minors from his account. The arrest occurred on Sunday just after noon, based on a court-ordered arrest warrant. The investigation led to the seizure of a laptop and five mobile devices from the man’s home in Limassol and involved individuals close to him. The electronic crime unit is continuing its investigation.
A 43-year-old was arrested in Paphos for being suspected of involvement in an accident that injured a 54-year-old motorcyclist in Kissonerga. The accident occurred on Sunday morning, leaving the motorcyclist in critical condition at Paphos General Hospital. The arrest was made after police received an arrest warrant. Investigations into the cause of the accident are ongoing.
A 23-year-old man was arrested in connection with a burglary in Larnaca that occurred in mid-February. This arrest followed the earlier arrests of a 40-year-old and an 18-year-old for the same incident. The burglary took place around 2am on February 19, where four individuals wearing hoods broke into a 59-year-old woman’s home, restrained her and her two domestic helpers, and stole jewelry, watches, and money. The police’s investigations led to the arrest of the two initially mentioned individuals on March 16, and further evidence led to the arrest of the 23-year-old. He is expected to be brought before the Larnaca District Court for a remand, and the Larnaca CID continues its investigations.
Achilleas Demetriades, a human rights lawyer and former presidential candidate in Cyprus, proposed converting the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) into a truth commission during a meeting in the UK parliament. His proposal aims to enable the CMP to investigate the circumstances and cause of death of missing persons, beyond its current function of locating and disinterring missing individuals. Demetriades suggests amending the CMP’s terms of reference to allow investigations into how 1,510 Greek Cypriots and 492 Turkish Cypriots disappeared. He argues for statutory immunity from prosecution for those providing information to the commission, noting that current guarantees might not suffice for the broader scope of a truth commission. Transitional justice processes like truth commissions, exemplified by South Africa’s Truth Commission established in 1995, are highlighted as effective in overcoming conflict and promoting reconciliation. The article also mentions the UN secretary-general’s personal envoy to Cyprus, Maria Holguin, and the potential for establishing a truth commission in Cyprus, with support from the UN high commissioner for human rights, Michelle Bachelet, emphasizing the importance of truth for reconciliation and preventing the repetition of conflicts.
A bomb attack occurred at the summer club “Nava” in the Pernera area of Protaras in the early hours of a Thursday, causing significant concern for the police. This incident is linked to a conflict over control of the nightlife in free Famagusta and has broader implications due to the club’s previous ownership by individuals from Nicosia. The attack, which involved a low-powered improvised explosive device causing extensive damage to the club, is under investigation for potential connections to recent bombings in Nicosia. The unclear ownership of the club complicates the investigation. The club, popular among holidaymakers from Nicosia, was closed for the winter season and was scheduled to reopen before summer. Evidence from the scene is being analyzed, and individuals connected to the club’s management and others are being questioned. The police are investigating the incident as an attempted destruction of property with explosives and are seeking further testimonies and video evidence from the area.
The Osiou Avakoum monastery applied for a €3 million fundraiser to the interior ministry in 2020 but failed to submit the necessary financial statements afterwards. The application for the fundraiser, intended for the expansion of the monastery, was approved by the Tamassos Bishopric. The monastery is currently embroiled in scandals involving financial crimes, sexual harassment, and abuse, with investigations being conducted by the police and the anti-money laundering unit. A safe box containing €800,000 was found at the monastery, and the cash was transferred to the Tamassos Bishopric under police supervision. No arrests have been made in connection with these issues. The interior ministry expected a financial statement from the monastery after approving its fundraising application in 2021 but did not receive any despite sending eight reminders. A subsequent fundraising request from the monastery in 2023 was not approved, even though it provided bank statements showing €85,000 transfers from the previous fundraiser. The ministry plans to re-examine the case in light of these revelations, and MPs have called for a thorough investigation into money laundering within the church. Two investigators have been appointed by the attorney-general to examine allegations involving police officers’ presence at the monastery without senior officers’ knowledge or orders.
Two monks involved in scandals at the Osiou Avakoum monastery will provide statements to the Holy Synod’s investigative committee next week. This step is part of the final evidence collection before a decision is made. The investigation by a six-member ecclesiastical court of the Holy Synod is not expected to finish before Easter. The committee is focused on reaching a reliable conclusion rather than the time the process takes. A CCTV video under police investigation will be considered in the final decision, despite concerns about its legality. Additionally, there are ongoing police investigations into sexual harassment allegations and possible financial crimes at the monastery. Theologian Theodoros Kyriacou testified in support of a sexual harassment complaint against the monastery’s head, filed by a former employee.
Western banks are lobbying against EU proposals to redistribute billions of euros in interest earned on frozen Russian assets due to fears of costly litigation. EU leaders have agreed to work on a plan to use up to 3 billion euros a year to supply arms to Ukraine, funded by the interest from these assets. Banks are concerned about potential liability from Russia, the erosion of trust in the western banking system, and the legal implications of transferring money to Ukraine. Euroclear holds 190 billion euros of Russian central bank securities and cash, and more than 3.5 million Russians have frozen assets abroad worth around 1.5 trillion roubles. The EU plan includes paying a fee to Euroclear and allowing it to retain 10% of the profits as a safeguard against litigation. Ninety percent of the seized cash would be used to buy arms for Ukraine, with the rest for recovery and reconstruction. The proposal has raised concerns about the legal risks for banks and the potential for prolonged international legal disputes.
Theodoros Kyriacou, a theologian, provided testimony regarding a sexual harassment complaint against the head of Osiou Avakoum monastery, filed by a former employee. Kyriacou was called by the police to give a statement about the allegations. The complainant had approached Kyriacou in early March through the NGO Accept LGBTI to share his story. Kyriacou described the complainant as a vulnerable person and refuted claims of the victim making contradictory statements. Accept LGBTI advised the complainant to seek advice from mental health professionals. The Holy Synod committee is investigating the allegations but has not disclosed whether the accused monks have been called to testify. Father Eleftherios, a committee representative, stated that no announcements would be made about the investigation until it is concluded. The police have also refrained from commenting on the case, which has seen no arrests in sixteen days.