Appeals court orders detention of parents accused of child abuse

The Cyprus Appeals Court has ordered the immediate detention of two parents, identified as M.K. and Th.G., overturning a prior decision by the Larnaca Criminal Court that had allowed them to remain free under conditions. The ruling, issued on November 10, 2026, followed an appeal by the Attorney General, who argued that the defendants posed a significant risk of influencing the victim.

The accused face serious charges, including the sexual abuse of their minor son, causing mental harm, harassment of a victim, and interference with judicial proceedings. Testimony indicated that the parents repeatedly pressured the child to retract his police reports by promising him gifts and instructing him not to cooperate with authorities.

A decisive factor in the Appeals Court's unanimous decision was evidence showing the parents were visiting the child daily at his school, despite a court order that mandated strictly supervised contact. The defendants are currently held in custody pending further proceedings scheduled to resume at the Larnaca Criminal Court tomorrow.