Sykas to appeal Disy ballot omission over domestic violence allegation

Disy MP Nikos Sykas is preparing an appeal to the Supreme Court, challenging his removal from the party’s parliamentary election ballot, following an allegation of domestic violence made by his partner.

Speaking to television channel Alpha on Friday morning, Sykas’ lawyer Christos Pourgourides said the party’s decision appeared to breach the presumption of innocence and basic principles of natural justice.

He confirmed that his client had given a detailed statement to police and answered all questions put to him.

“We are examining whether the legal conditions exist to file an appeal,” Pourgourides said, adding that the decision to exclude Sykas was taken “without first hearing the person concerned”.

Disy’s politburo earlier this week endorsed a recommendation by the party’s executive office to omit Sykas from the ballot for the upcoming parliamentary elections, citing its stated ‘zero-tolerance stance on violence against women’.

The move followed a unanimous Supreme Court decision last week to lift Sykas’ parliamentary immunity, allowing police to investigate allegations that he assaulted his partner while the couple were in Greece over the New Year period.

The court ruled that the alleged offence was serious and unrelated to Sykas’ parliamentary duties, stressing that “everyone is equal before the law”.

Sykas’ partner filed a complaint with the Limassol police shortly after returning to Cyprus and underwent a medical examination.

She later withdrew the complaint, telling police she wished to “avoid publicity and stress”.

Authorities have said that the withdrawal does not automatically halt a criminal investigation.

Pourgourides argued that the Supreme Court decision on immunity had been misused politically.

“The court did not examine the substance of the allegations,” he said, before adding that “it dealt only with whether the police should be allowed to investigate.”

He described Disy’s reliance on that ruling to justify Sykas’ exclusion as “excessive”, adding that the matter could instead have been referred to the party’s ethics committee.

“If merely having a complaint is enough to ostracise a candidate, then why not leave the final judgment to the voters?” he asked.

Asked whether Sykas denied the allegation in his police testimony, Pourgourides said only that “nothing was said that would justify the politburo’s decision”.

Sykas has publicly denied the allegations, stating on social media that he “categorically” rejects both the complaint and the claims made against him.

Disy leader Annita Demetriou has said her party respects the presumption of innocence but considers any form of violence incompatible with its values.

The Supreme Court has yet to indicate whether it will hear an appeal.