Supreme court orders release of Congolese asylum seeker after 15 months of detention

On May 8, 2026, the Supreme Court of Cyprus issued a Habeas Corpus writ ordering the immediate release of a Congolese national who had been detained since February 12, 2025. The 26 or 27-year-old applicant entered Cyprus illegally in 2022 but voluntarily applied for asylum in July 2022, living and working in Paphos. His asylum status was deemed implicitly withdrawn in November 2024, leading to his arrest in February 2025 at the Paphos Aliens and Immigration Service. Although his file was reopened in March 2025, a new detention order was issued under the Refugee Law. The Court ruled that the 15-month detention period exceeded a reasonable duration, given the lack of a realistic prospect for deportation. Consequently, the Court found the ongoing detention illegal and ordered the individual's immediate release.