Supreme Court of Cyprus rejects appeal regarding digital evidence in espionage case

On September 29, 2026, the Supreme Court of Cyprus unanimously dismissed an appeal by a Limassol resident challenging the legality of a judicial warrant. The warrant, issued on June 25, 2025, by the Limassol District Court, authorized police access to private communications stored on electronic devices seized from the appellant's residence. The appellant had sought a writ of certiorari, arguing that the police accessed the data before obtaining the warrant and that the judicial approval was a retrospective attempt to legitimize prior investigative actions.

The case is linked to ongoing criminal proceedings where the defendant faces charges, including espionage. He was arrested in 2025 after being observed near British bases in Episkopi-Akrotiri, Paphos Airport, and the Andreas Papandreou Air Base. During his activities, he was reportedly seen using high-end photographic equipment and three smartphones to photograph facilities and take notes. The Supreme Court upheld the lower court's decision, finding that the police did not illegally access the communications before the warrant was issued, thereby allowing the prosecution to proceed with the evidence collected.