Alpha News

Cyprus: Lifting of Parliamentary Immunity - Procedures and Offenses

Published January 5, 2026, 11:33

The process of lifting the parliamentary immunity of a Member of Parliament in Cyprus requires the approval of the Supreme Constitutional Court following a request from the Legal Service. This occurs in cases of investigating criminal offenses. The discussion arose after a woman filed a complaint against DISY MP Nikos Sykas for assault. Legal expert Andreas Christou explained that for offenses carrying a prison sentence of more than five years, an MP can be arrested under the 'autoforos' procedure, but continuing the proceedings still requires court approval. In the case of Mr. Sykas, the offenses he is accused of carry a sentence of more than two years. Mr. Christou clarified that in the event of serious offenses, such as grievous bodily harm, the sentence is more than five years and the procedure is different.