Trial for Avvakoum Monastery surveillance case postponed to November

The trial involving Metropolitan Isaias of Tamassos and Monk Varnavas, accused of violating personal data privacy via a CCTV system at the Avvakoum Monastery, has been postponed. The hearing, originally scheduled for May 12, 2026, was delayed after the defense requested a reschedule due to Metropolitan Isaias's official trip abroad to represent Cyprus at a dialogue between the Orthodox Church and Lutherans. The court has set the new date for the proceedings to resume on November 4, 2026, at 10:30. Both defendants officially entered pleas of not guilty on January 22, 2026. The charges stem from investigations conducted by former Commissioner for Personal Data Protection Irene Loizidou Nikolaidou following the unauthorized leakage of video footage from the monastery. This case has garnered significant public attention due to the sensitive nature of the alleged illicit recordings. The legal proceedings are expected to begin in substance during the November session.