Cyprus Supreme Court rejects appeal against European Arrest Warrant in custody dispute

The Supreme Court of Cyprus has rejected an application by a Greek national seeking to challenge a European Arrest Warrant issued on February 17, 2026, by the Nicosia District Court. The case stems from a long-standing child custody dispute between the woman and a Cypriot national, who had a child in 2014. Following their separation in 2016, the Nicosia District Court awarded custody to the mother with residence in Cyprus and granted the father regular visitation rights. The mother was permitted to travel to Greece with the child during holidays, provided the father was informed. In July 2022, the mother took the child to Greece and failed to return, leading to an investigation into unlawful retention. The woman is currently in custody in Greece following a local court's extradition approval, an order she is actively appealing at the Areios Pagos. The Supreme Court of Cyprus dismissed her challenge to the European Arrest Warrant, noting that a separate process is ongoing to determine the validity of the underlying December 2025 national warrant. If the national warrant is annulled, the European warrant would be invalidated, though the current appeal was rejected on its merits.