Nicosia Criminal Court rejects trial-within-a-trial in Osios Avvakoum Monastery case

On Wednesday, the Nicosia Permanent Criminal Court unanimously rejected a defense motion to hold a 'trial-within-a-trial' regarding the Osios Avvakoum Monastery financial scandal. The defense had argued that certain photographic evidence presented by the prosecution, including images of items seized from the monastery and the home of the first defendant's mother, were obtained without valid search warrants by hooded individuals. They claimed these actions violated the defendants' constitutional rights. The prosecution countered that the admissibility of the evidence should be determined during the main trial and argued that the defendants did not reside at the monastery after March 6, meaning subsequent evidence collection was lawful. The court ruled that there was no common ground regarding the facts of the alleged illegal raids. Furthermore, the court stated it could not adjudicate on the alleged violation of third-party rights. The decision effectively allows the prosecution to proceed with the evidence, though the defense retains the right to challenge its admissibility later in the main proceedings.