Published on 27 March 2023

THIRD SECTION

Application no. 14063/22 Georgios LOIS against Cyprus lodged on 11 March 2022 communicated on 10 March 2023

SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CASE

The application concerns the length of criminal proceedings brought against the applicant in relation to charges concerning fraud.

On 2 February 2016 the applicant was indicted in criminal proceedings no. 2282/16. The proceedings at first instance ended with his acquittal on 15 May 2019. On 28 May 2019 the prosecution filed an appeal (no. 86/19) with the Supreme Court challenging the above decision. On 9 September 2021 the appellants informed the Registry of the Supreme Court that they wished to withdraw the appeal. According to the applicant the appeal was dismissed on 13 September 2021.

Relying on Article 6 § 1 of the Convention the applicant complains about the length of the criminal proceedings which allegedly lasted five years, seven months and eleven days.

QUESTION TO THE PARTIES

Was the length of the criminal proceedings in the present case in breach of the “reasonable time” requirement of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention (see, among others, Bara and Kola v. Albania , nos. 43391/18 and 17766/19, § 63, 12 October 2021; and mutatis mutandis , Georgiadis v. Cyprus , no. 50516/99, 14 May 2002)?