The Attorney General of Cyprus will not stop a private criminal case. The family of Thanasis Nicolaou started this case. This decision means the case can go to the Limassol District Court. Thanasis Nicolaou's mother, Andriana, is leading the legal challenge. The case targets five former police and forensic officials. They were involved in the first investigation into Nicolaou's death. The death was officially called a suicide.
The family has questioned the official findings for a long time. Thanasis Nicolaou was found dead in 2005. The first investigation said it was suicide. A second inquiry in 2009 also said suicide. However, the family believes the investigation was not done well. The European Court of Human Rights agreed in 2020. They said Cyprus did not investigate effectively.
A lawyer for one of the accused asked the Attorney General to stop the case. The lawyer said there was no proof of wrongdoing. However, the Attorney General, George Savvides, will not stop the case. He said he will not interfere with the court process. He made this decision after talking to the Nicolaou family's lawyers.
This decision shows a careful approach to private cases. The Attorney General previously said he would not bring charges himself. This was because too much time had passed. But he also said he would not stop private citizens from starting their own cases. This ruling may help other similar cases.
This decision is important for the Nicolaou family. It is a step closer to what they see as justice. The private prosecution started on December 9th. It can now continue without being stopped by the top legal authority. This development should help the family's efforts. It may also reveal new evidence or witness statements.