Severe delays in forensic reports stall police investigations in Cyprus

Police investigations in Cyprus are facing significant delays, with some forensic files remaining open since 2020 due to the late preparation of medical reports. A letter from Police Headquarters to the Ministry of Health highlights that the shortage of pathologists and an increasing caseload have left families of victims and deceased individuals waiting indefinitely for justice. Additionally, the communication noted operational failures, including the improper cleaning of post-mortem exhibits and poor sample packaging, which has risked contamination and potential loss of evidence.

In response to these systemic issues, Justice Minister Costas Fytiris and Health Minister Neophytos Charalambides met in late September to address the understaffing of the State Pathology Service. The ministers agreed on a strategy to outsource services to the private sector to ensure pathologists can promptly meet police requirements. Despite this decision, investigations into medical negligence cases remain slow to commence as complaints continue to rise. Moving forward, the government aims to integrate private sector support to mitigate the backlog, though concerns remain regarding the efficiency of the current forensic processing pipeline.