Police investigate torture case in Pyla after videos found on suspect's phone

Police in Larnaca have launched an investigation into the torture of seven individuals after discovering graphic video footage on the mobile phone of a 48-year-old Greek Cypriot suspect. The abuse allegedly took place in an office on the first floor of a casino in Pyla during various dates in 2025. The 48-year-old, who is already in custody for a shooting incident in Larnaca on January 17, faced the Famagusta District Court alongside a 27-year-old Palestinian national. A third suspect remains at large and is also linked to the previous shooting. Investigators have identified three of the seven victims seen in the footage and are working to locate the remaining four. The videos reportedly depict severe physical abuse, including victims being beaten with belts and a pistol being placed in a victim's mouth to extract money or confessions. The suspects face 14 charges, including kidnapping, conspiracy, and illegal possession of firearms. The 48-year-old suspect claims he is a victim of a murder plot and that his vehicle was previously targeted in an arson attack.