Thanassis Case: Private Prosecution Against Stavrianos Begins

The private criminal prosecution filed by the family of National Guardsman Thanassis Nicolaou against forensic pathologist Panikos Stavrianos and four former police officers begins today at the Limassol District Court.

The prosecution concerns 39 charges, including conspiracy to obstruct justice, neglect of duty, perjury, and destruction of evidence. Most charges concern Panikos Stavrianos, who had ruled that Thanassis Nicolaou's death in 2005 was due to suicide. This version was overturned in May 2024, attributing the death to criminal activity.

The indictment is expected to be served to the defendants today. Defense lawyers have requested the evidentiary material, which is not expected to be delivered immediately. Preliminary objections are expected to be raised by the defense.