Supreme Court rejects request for criminal charges against state officials by trade unionist

On August 19, 2026, the Supreme Court of Cyprus issued a decision rejecting an application for a private criminal prosecution filed by prison guard and trade unionist Georgios Maltezos, representing the Isotita union. The application sought to file charges against five high-ranking state officials, including the Minister of Justice and Public Order, the acting director of the Central Prisons, the Ministry's Director General, a senior legal officer, and another prison official.

The proposed charges were based on alleged violations of the 1995 Ratifying Law (Convention 135) regarding the protection of workers' representatives. Specifically, the union claimed the officials failed to provide effective protection against detrimental actions, including dismissal, related to trade union activities. This move followed a July 1, 2026, ruling by the Nicosia District Court, which had initially denied the request, arguing that the Republic of Cyprus does not fall under the legal definition of an entity or legal person covered by the relevant articles of the law.

The union had argued that the district court's interpretation would leave the state as the only employer immune to legislation intended to protect labor representatives. With the Supreme Court's final dismissal, the legal challenge against these officials concerning the alleged obstruction of union freedoms and failure to protect worker rights has been effectively concluded.