Supreme Court of Cyprus rejects certiorari petition from German real estate agent

The Supreme Court of Cyprus has dismissed a certiorari petition filed by a German real estate agent currently facing charges in the Nicosia Criminal Court. The defendant, who has been in custody since her arrest at Larnaca Airport on July 5, 2024, is charged with unauthorized property transactions in the occupied territories under criminal case 11021/2024. The defense sought to annul an interim ruling and suspend the trial by challenging the legality of four European Investigation Orders (EIOs) used to obtain evidence from German authorities. Specifically, the defense argued that these orders were issued by an incompetent court and were only notified to the defendant in March 2025, violating her right to a fair trial. On June 11, Judge Alexandros Panagiotou rejected these arguments, citing Law 181(I)/2017, which explicitly designates the local District Court as the competent authority for issuing EIOs. The court also addressed the claims regarding delayed notification by referencing established legal procedures. The criminal proceedings against the defendant in the Nicosia Criminal Court are expected to continue.