Journalist Makarios Drousiotis and Kyriaki Kyriakou were referred on Wednesday for trial before the Nicosia Permanent Assize Court in connection with the “Santi” case. The trial is scheduled for December 15, 2026.
The referral was made during the two defendants’ first appearance before the Nicosia District Court. The indictment includes 101 charges.
The charges include forgery, circulating a forged document, publishing false news and harassment.
Alexia Siapani, representing the prosecution, said that, according to the Attorney General’s position, the charges were not suitable for summary trial and requested that the case be referred to the Assize Court.
The two defendants signed €10,000 bail bonds and were released pending trial.
Drousiotis’s lawyers said that, in their view, the case was not suitable for trial before the Assize Court and reserved the right to raise the defence’s arguments before the court.
The criminal case was filed by the Law Office of the Republic with the Nicosia District Court on July 24, 2026, following a review of witness statements submitted by police.
The case concerns allegations and claims made public in March 2026 that were investigated by police. According to the police, the messages on which the relevant post was based were found to have been fabricated.
Source: Kathimerini Cyprus
