Appeals court rejects release request from German woman accused of property usurpation

The Cyprus Court of Appeal has unanimously rejected an appeal filed by Ewa Izabela Kuenzel, a German national accused of usurping Greek Cypriot property in the occupied village of Agios Amvrosios in the Kyrenia district. The court confirmed that her ongoing detention is lawful, ruling on September 4 and again on September 15, 2026, that there has been no violation of her human rights and that her continued incarceration remains justified pending the conclusion of criminal proceedings.

Kuenzel faces 46 criminal charges, including fraudulent property transactions, illegal possession of land without owner consent, and money laundering related to activities occurring between 2023 and 2024. The defendant has been held in custody since her arrest at Larnaca airport in July 2024, following reports that she allegedly admitted to selling Greek Cypriot-owned land during a flight conversation with an MEP. The criminal trial before the Nicosia Criminal Court, which commenced in March 2025, has faced multiple delays, including one recently caused by the health issues of a prosecution representative. Despite these setbacks and multiple legal challenges regarding her detention status, the court continues to mandate her stay in prison while the trial remains ongoing.