Defendants in Pyla torture case appear before Larnaca Criminal Court

Two men, aged 48 and 27, appeared before the Larnaca Permanent Criminal Court on Monday under heavy security regarding a 2025 torture case in Pyla. The 48-year-old defendant requested time to file an objection of abusive prosecution, claiming he is being tried in two separate cases based on the same witness testimony; his hearing is scheduled for June 4. The 27-year-old defendant filed an objection to his continued detention, which the court will examine on May 27. Both individuals face 16 joint charges, including conspiracy to commit felonies and misdemeanors, kidnapping, possession of firearms and offensive weapons, and violations of the anti-torture convention. The 48-year-old faces two additional charges related to document execution and refusal to provide measurements during detention. He was previously arrested on February 6 in connection with a January 17 shooting in Larnaca. Authorities state that one suspect remains wanted and further arrests are anticipated as forensic examination of seized evidence continues.