Supreme Court rejects appeal in “human trafficking” case
The Supreme Court of Cyprus upheld the acquittal in the human trafficking case of a 21-year-old man arrested in 2023 for operating a boat carrying 32 migrants heading towards the Cypriot coast. The Attorney General’s appeal was dismissed.
The court noted that the investigation failed to prove a key element — intent to obtain financial gain. The fact that the young man did not pay for crossing the sea was not deemed sufficient grounds to qualify the act under the human trafficking statute.
However, the three-year sentence under the migration statute — for illegal operation of a vessel transporting people without permission — remains in effect. The boat was overloaded and the migrants were at risk, but the first-instance court took mitigating factors into account: the defendant’s age, lack of prior convictions, and his personal record.
Author
I am originally from St. Petersburg — a city with a unique character and rhythm. My professional life began rapidly: at just 16, I plunged into the world of global events. The World Cup, the roar of Formula 1 cars in Sochi, the energy of VK Fest, and the backstage of Fashion Week — I always…
You may also be interested in:
- The Kamarés dam project in Larnaca is expected to resolve chronic flooding
- In Paphos, a car veered into a ravine, the driver sustained critical injuries
- Police in Cyprus detained five people and issued 216 citations during a nighttime operation
- Driver of a stolen vehicle detained in Nicosia
- Paphos is increasingly gridlocked: the transport situation is getting out of control
