Legal circles, speaking to Politis, stated that they are also awaiting the Assize Court’s decision, as attention focuses on the extent to which the acquittal of Andreas Pittatzis may influence the court’s verdict, given that the prosecution had built the case from the outset on a chain of events.
Today, 17 February, former President of the House of Representatives Demetris Syllouris and former AKEL MP Christakis Tziovanis will hear the verdict of the Nicosia Assize Court on the serious charges they face. The case marked Cypriot society, triggered political upheaval and caused serious, if not irreparable, damage to the state’s credibility. The criminal proceedings began in the summer of 2022 and, following preliminary objections, legal battles, adjournments and reversals, conclude on Tuesday.
The original indictment included the names of Demetris Syllouris, Christakis Tziovanis, lawyer Andreas Pittatzis and Antonis Antoniou, a senior executive in Tziovanis’ company. During the judicial process, for different reasons, the charges against Andreas Pittatzis and Antonis Antoniou were withdrawn. Only Demetris Syllouris and Christakis Tziovanis remained in the dock.
Legal sources told Politis that they are awaiting the Assize Court’s ruling, as the key question is how, and to what extent, the acquittal of Andreas Pittatzis will affect the court’s verdict, given that the case had initially been constructed by the prosecution on a chain of events. In any event, whether the decision is convicting or acquitting, the reasoning set out by the court will be of particular significance.
Key milestones in the case
12 October 2020: The international television network Al Jazeera published an undercover investigation concerning Cyprus’ investment programme. The 57-minute video, titled The Cyprus Papers Undercover, remains available on Al Jazeera’s official YouTube account.
13 October 2020: The Political Bureau of AKEL’s Central Committee accepted the resignation of Christakis Tziovanis from his position as MP and from party offices.
15 October 2020: Demetris Syllouris submitted his resignation from the presidency of the House of Representatives and from his parliamentary seat, amid the public outcry that followed the release of the video.
July 2022: The case was filed before the Nicosia District Court for referral to the Assize Court.
12 September 2022: The four defendants appeared for the first time before the Nicosia District Court, which decided to refer them for direct trial before the Assize Court.
June 2023: The Nicosia Assize Court suspended the criminal proceedings, which were subsequently refiled. The case had been withdrawn due to a change in the composition of the court.
October 2023: Lawyer Andreas Pittatzis was cleared of the charges he faced. He had undertaken the legal representation of Antonis Antoniou.
March 2025: Antonis Antoniou was also removed from the indictment after a key prosecution witness refused to testify at trial.
December 2025: With the final submissions of the defence lawyers and the representative of the prosecution, the hearing process in the trial concerning the Al Jazeera video was completed.
17 February 2026: The Nicosia Assize Court will announce its verdict regarding the two former state officials who remain on the indictment.