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Cyprus: Appeal Denied in Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Case

Published January 15, 2026, 09:14
Cyprus: Appeal Denied in Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Case

The Court of Appeal has denied the appeal of a defendant charged with serious offenses of domestic and sexual violence, upholding the decision of the Permanent Criminal Court of Famagusta to continue his pre-trial detention until January 22, 2026. The defendant faces charges of rape, common assault, kidnapping, sexual harassment, and mental harm, allegedly committed between March and June 2021 in Paralimni. The decision was based on the assessment that there is a risk of non-appearance at trial and a risk of re-offending. The defense had submitted a request for release, citing new evidence from documents of the Crown Prosecution Service of the United Kingdom, which however the Court deemed did not affect the case. The Court rejected the defense's claims that there was new evidence that could overturn the detention decision, and stressed that the case did not justify a reassessment of the detention. The Court of Appeal's decision confirms the need to protect victims of domestic violence and effectively address related offenses.