Cyprus to repeal colonial-era law following European Court of Human Rights settlement

The Republic of Cyprus has reached a settlement with a Larnaca resident before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), agreeing to pay €5,000 in moral damages. The case stemmed from a legal challenge against Article 97 of the Cypriot Criminal Code, a colonial-era provision that criminalizes women who sing or dance at Muslim festivities, effectively equating such performers with prostitutes. The plaintiff brought the case forward due to fears of criminal prosecution regarding his daughter’s wedding preparations.

Legal experts and media reports had long identified this article as an anachronistic violation of the right to privacy. Although authorities have noted that there is no recent record of anyone being prosecuted under this specific section of the law, its existence created a persistent legal threat. In response to the ECHR filing and legal advice, the Ministry of Justice has now submitted a bill to the House of Representatives seeking the formal repeal of the provision to bring the legal code into line with modern human rights standards.