Supreme Court dismisses appeal by former priest regarding removal from lawyers' registry

On Monday, the Supreme Court of Cyprus dismissed an appeal filed by a former priest seeking permission to challenge his removal from the lawyers' registry. The removal was ordered by the Cyprus Bar Association and took effect in March 2026. The applicant, who had also been convicted of a drug-related offense, argued that the Bar Association lacked the authority to strike him from the registry and claimed that the proceedings violated the principles of natural justice and a fair trial. However, the court did not rule on the merits of the disciplinary decision itself. Instead, it focused on whether it possessed the legal authority to review the Bar Association's decision through a writ of certiorari. The court ultimately concluded that following the introduction of Article 32A of the Advocates Law, it lacked the specific jurisdiction to annul such a decision via the requested writ. The court's judgment was limited strictly to this procedural jurisdictional matter.