Administrative court annuls suspension of Anna Aristotelous

On June 17, 2026, the Administrative Court of Cyprus ruled to annul the suspension of former prison director and official Anna Aristotelous. The court determined that the initial suspension, imposed in December 2025 alongside a two-thirds pay cut due to a pending criminal case involving the leakage of classified prison documents, was based on a legal error. Specifically, the court found that the Cabinet lacked the authority to recommend the suspension, which should have been handled by the Presidency of the Republic. Following the ruling, Aristotelous's lawyer, Chris Triantafyllides, submitted an urgent letter to the Cabinet Secretariat requesting her immediate reinstatement to her permanent secretary position. Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis stated that the government is awaiting further review by the Public Service Commission (PSC) before deciding on subsequent actions. The pending criminal case, which led to the investigation of five individuals including four prison guards and a police cadet, remains active. The state is currently under pressure to comply with the court's decision regarding Aristotelous's employment status.