Supreme Court cancels seizure order for Holy Monastery of Avvakoum evidence

On November 3, 2026, the Supreme Court of Cyprus issued a unanimous decision overturning a seizure order regarding three electronic devices containing CCTV footage from the Holy Monastery of Avvakoum. The court ruled that the Nicosia District Court exceeded its jurisdiction and lacked the necessary legal basis when it issued the original order on July 3, 2025. This legal challenge was brought forward by the monastery's former abbot, the monk Nektarios, who successfully argued for the cancellation of the warrant through an appeal for a Certiorari order.

Despite this ruling, the court clarified that the police retain the right to possess the three devices. The devices were initially handed over voluntarily to authorities by Archimandrite Varnavas, who had access to the facility. The court noted that because the items were provided voluntarily rather than seized during a formal search, the specific statute used for the warrant was inapplicable. While the seizure order is now nullified, the court has not yet determined whether the audiovisual content will be admissible as evidence in ongoing criminal proceedings. The Supreme Court rejected one of the four grounds for appeal concerning the processing of sensitive personal data under the European Convention on Human Rights and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.