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Christos Clerides Warns of Institutional Derailment in Cypriot Judge Election to ECHR

Published January 8, 2026, 15:14
Christos Clerides Warns of Institutional Derailment in Cypriot Judge Election to ECHR

Lawyer Dr. Christos Clerides has warned of the risk of institutional derailment in the election of a Cypriot judge to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). Dr. Clerides, representing Senior Provincial Judge X. Xenophon and European Prosecutor K. Loizou, submitted an intervention to the leadership of the Council of Europe. The intervention includes serious allegations of falsification of academic qualifications by a candidate, as well as the dominance of the executive branch and political figures in the selection process. Furthermore, it alleges “unacceptable and vindictive treatment” of a judicial officer and the withdrawal of a Supreme Court judge's candidacy due to political interference. Mr. Clerides argues that the Cypriot Ministry of Foreign Affairs arbitrarily intervened in the candidates' curricula vitae, creating conditions of unequal treatment. He calls on the leadership of the Council of Europe to suspend the process until the allegations are fully investigated. Dr. Clerides emphasizes that safeguarding the reputation of the ECHR is the duty of all and that the Court should not operate under a cloud of doubt due to domestic arbitrariness and political expediency.