Nicosia Appeal Court upholds detention for domestic violence suspect

The Nicosia Appeal Court has rejected an appeal filed by a defendant, ordering that he remain in custody until his trial before the Criminal Court on May 15, 2026. The accused faces 12 charges related to domestic violence, including common assault, threats, actual bodily harm, and deprivation of liberty with intent to cause grievous harm, occurring between 2025 and March 2026. The initial detention was based on the risks of absconding and reoffending, with the Appeal Court emphasizing that the latter remains a sufficient legal ground for pre-trial custody. The defence team argued that considering a separate pending criminal case, for which the defendant was released on €5,000 bail, violated the presumption of innocence. They maintained that the defendant had not breached bail conditions or interfered with the complainant in that previous case. However, the Appeal Court dismissed these arguments as unfounded. It ruled that legal precedent allows courts to consider ongoing criminal proceedings to assess the risk of repeated offending. The court clarified that while absolute certainty of reoffending is not required, a strong impression of risk is sufficient to warrant continued detention.