Appeals court denies bail for two defendants in separate criminal cases

The Nicosia Court of Appeal has unanimously upheld the detention of two defendants in separate criminal cases until their respective trials conclude. In the first case, a defendant identified as M.H. faces eight charges, including the rape of his wife on February 5, 2026, assault, property damage, illegal restraint, psychological violence, and unauthorized dissemination of intimate content. He is also accused of abducting their two children and taking them to Jordan without the mother's consent. M.H. argued there was insufficient evidence for a conviction and no flight risk, suggesting bail as an alternative, but the court ruled that the likelihood of conviction and the risk of flight remain high. In a second separate case, a defendant identified as N.P. is being tried in the Famagusta Assize Court for rape and abduction. N.P. sought to challenge his detention by introducing new evidence, including medical findings, which the defense claimed weakened the prosecution's case. The court rejected both appeals, confirming that the initial detention orders were legally sound and necessary.