Supreme Court rejects reopening of life sentence case for convicted barber

On October 29, 2026, the Supreme Court of Cyprus unanimously rejected an application by Theodoros Theofanous, a man serving a life sentence known as the "barber," to reopen his criminal case. This marked the first time the court reviewed a request under the newly amended Administration of Justice laws (1964-2024), which allow for retrials if significant new evidence or facts emerge.

Theofanous, represented by lawyer Savvas Matsas, argued that witness retractions and allegations of police manipulation constituted new evidence capable of overturning his conviction. Specifically, he cited a 2020 affidavit from a now-deceased witness who claimed to have lied about being at the crime scene, as well as testimonies alleging that his conviction was based on coerced evidence. The Supreme Court ruled that these statements did not meet the legal threshold for "new elements or facts" required to justify a retrial.

The applicant was originally convicted in 2012 by the Paphos Criminal Court for the premeditated murder of 24-year-old Iulia Oboroc and the manslaughter of her 3.5-year-old daughter, Victoria Pozidou, committed in December 2011. The conviction was previously upheld on appeal in 2015. Following this latest dismissal, his original life sentence remains in full effect. Theofanous also gained notoriety for a dramatic prison escape in September 2024.