2025 a challenging year for Cyprus courts
This year was one of the most charged for justice in Cyprus, with 13 large and complex cases occupying Cyprus courts, from the deaths of minors to corruption scandals, property usurpation and the test of judicial seats.
While some cases were wrapped up in 2025, some will drag on not 2026 before a decision is reached.
As such, next year is expected to be a year of critical decisions, which will determine not only the outcome of emblematic trials, but also the level of trust of citizens in justice and institutions.
Here’s what we can expect.
15-year-old Stylianos
In 2019, 15-year-old Stylianos committed suicide on a family farm in Nicosia district, shocking the public but also highlighting serious shortcomings in the management of the case by state agencies.
Ombudswman Maria Stylianou Lottides was requested by the Council of Ministers to investigate the facts and identify responsibilities of the services involved. In her report, she underlined repeated reports of problems within the family, including incidents of domestic violence.
Social Welfare services allegedly failed to properly assess the risks while the police and other services did not act adequately, overlooking information they had access to.
In 2021, an indictment was filed against 11 people in the Nicosia district court, including Stylianos’ parents, social welfare and other officials.
The start of the trial is set for January 20.
Confidential documents of the Central Prison
On April 10, as part of a police investigation, thousands of state documents were found in the home of a prison guard.
The about 48,430 documents had a total volume of more than 250,000 pages and included architectural drawings about the facilities, prisoner files, internal correspondence, reports and official documents.
Anna Aristotelous, who served as prisons director, is being prosecuted along with seven others, including her former deputy Athena Demetriou. The five are prison officers and a former employee who now serves as a police officer.
Aristotelous and the other defendants face offences related to violation of official secrecy, abuse of power, conspiracy to commit felonies and misdemeanors, theft from public officials and illegal possession of confidential documents.
The trial starts at the criminal court on January 30.
Private criminal case over death of Thanasis Nicolaou
One of the longest-lasting legal battles that continues in Cyprus is the case of 26-year-old national guardsman Thanasis Nicolaou, who was found dead on September 29, 2005 under a bridge in Alassa, near Limassol.
Initially, his death was ruled a suicide, but his family reacted strongly and for a number of years called for a new investigation.
In 2024, the inquest of judge Doria Varosiotou concluded that the death resulted from murder by strangulation.
This led to the filing of private criminal charges by the deceased’s family against former state pathologist Panicos Stavrianos, who had initially concluded that Thanasis had committed suicide, and four former police officers/officials, who were responsible for the investigation at the time.
The trial began in December and will continue on January 22.
Termination of Doria Varosiotou’s role as judge
Doria Varosiotou filed an objection against the decision of the Supreme Judicial Council, which decided not to make her appointment to the position of District Judge permanent and to terminate her service after the probationary term.
Varosiotou argues that this decision is unconstitutional and contrary to judicial independence, especially in light of the decision she issued in the case of Thanasis Nicolaou, where it considers that the death was not a suicide, but a criminal act.
Her objection was registered in July 2025 and the Supreme Constitutional Court began to consider it through procedures involving written and oral submissions from both sides.
On October 22, the Supreme Constitutional Court reserved the right to announce its decision “as soon as possible”, however, to date the decision has not yet been made public.
Usurpation of Greek Cypriot properties
The most well-known cases of usurpation of Greek Cypriot properties which have occupied the Cypriot courts in 2025 are those of the 74-year-old businessman, Simon Aykut, the German real estate agent Eva Isabella Kunzel, and a retired beautician and a hairdresser from Hungary.
Aykut was head of companies that develop real estate in the north. The prosecution accused him of illegal business actions, involving the construction and sale of real estate on Greek Cypriot land, without the consent of the legal owners.
On October 13, Aykut admitted 40 charges out of an initial 242 he faced and was sentenced to five years in prison.
In the second case, a 49-year-old German citizen faces charges related to the usurpation of Greek Cypriot properties in the north, in particular through their advertising, promotion and possible sale.
The proceedings are still pending and will be heard on the merits within 2026.
Regarding the third case, two women from Hungary were accused of usurping the properties of Greek Cypriots by acting as brokers or advertisers.
On May 9, they were both handed prison sentences.
Golden passports
In 2025, the Cyprus courts also dealt with two cases of golden passports. One is the Syllouris-Giovannis case and the other concerns the former Transport Minister Marios Demetriades.
The first case is linked to the golden passport scandal, which was revealed mainly through an Al Jazeera report, for omissions, violations of procedures and exceptional naturalisations of foreigners without proper evaluation or with the influence of persons in public office.
The defendants are former House president Demetris Syllouris and Christakis Giovannis, former MP and businessman.
The court will announce its verdict on February 17.
In the second case, Demetriades and nine additional natural and legal persons face charges of influence, bribery, conspiracy to defraud, money laundering and violation of international conventions on the criminalisation of corruption.
The case was postponed several times in 2025 and is scheduled to begin again on March 9.