From 2021 through the first half of 2026, a total of 18409 cases of violence were reported to the police, according to data presented today to the Parliament’s Human Rights Committee by Police Chief Themistos Arnaoutis. According to the same data, during the same period, 3,674 arrests were made, 2,858 court orders were issued to keep perpetrators away from victims, as well as 373 court orders to protect victims.

The data were presented as part of the discussion on the implementation of the Istanbul Convention and the relevant legislation under the title “The Law of 2021 on the Prevention and Combating of Violence against Women and Domestic Violence and Related Matters,” in response to recent incidents of femicide.

For his part, Minister of Justice Costas Fytiris emphasized the need for a swift response from the competent authorities from the very moment a complaint is received. He also referred to an incident that was brought to his attention via a message this morning. As he said, “This morning I received a message from an unknown woman on Messenger, who told me that she was in danger from her ex-husband because they had separated, he is threatening her, and I immediately forwarded it to the relevant police department,” he said.

As he explained, the focus of our efforts will be on how the initial report is handled and on the immediate mobilization of a dedicated response team. “We will focus on who receives the initial report, who passes it on, and how this task force—which must be permanent—will be activated,” he noted.

He added that the goal is a rapid response so that “any adverse situation or danger can be assessed and prevented,” describing the issue as “extremely important.”

Regarding the issue of police officers’ possession of firearms, Mr. Fytiris noted that the Ministry’s intention, in cooperation with the police, is to amend the provisions of the law to require psychometric testing. “Our intention is to implement these as soon as possible because we consider the issue to be very serious,” and proper preventive measures must be in place, he noted.

The Minister also stated that Cyprus already has a high-level legislative framework, noting, however, that certain amendments are required based on GREVIO’s observations. At the same time, he said that the Ministry, in cooperation with the Police and other relevant agencies, will focus on responding “as quickly as possible” with appropriately trained personnel.

She also emphasized that another key issue is raising public awareness, while acknowledging that there has been a delay in actions such as linking the database, and she assured that the Ministry will examine the matter.

110 calls per month regarding domestic violence

SPAVO Board Chair Andri Andronikou, presenting data on the Association’s operations, stated that in 2025 alone, the National Helpline recorded an average of 110 calls per month regarding incidents of domestic violence, as well as 20 additional requests for help via SMS, live chat, and email. As she explained, the “Women’s Shelter” assists an average of 31 women victims each month, while 2025 ended with 374 cases, in addition to those referred by the police and other relevant agencies.

She added that SPAVO’s counseling service supports seven women victims each month, while the shelters serve an average of 64 victims per month, of whom 30 are women and 34 are children. At the same time, she emphasized that there are international best practices that can be adopted, such as the institutionalized reassessment of the suitability of all gun owners and risk assessment.

Gaps in Inter-agency Cooperation

One issue that emerged during the discussion and in statements made after the session concluded was the need for interagency cooperation to prevent incidents of violence, the Minister of Justice’s stance on gaps in addressing the problem, the identification of necessary legislative changes, and the need to strengthen prevention efforts.

In her remarks, Deputy Minister of Welfare Klea Papaellina emphasized the importance of close cooperation between the executive and legislative branches, “so that we can continuously strengthen our institutional framework and formulate policies that meet the real needs of citizens.”

She also reaffirmed the commitment of the Government and the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare to “continue to work consistently to protect human rights, promote equality, and effectively protect victims of all forms of violence and abuse.”

The Committee Chair and AKEL MP Christos Christofides noted that the conclusion of today’s session “can be summed up by the Minister of Justice’s admission that eight years after we highlighted the need to coordinate agencies—both to develop joint actions and to exchange information— unfortunately, nothing has been done,” adding that it is to the Minister’s credit that he did not seek to offer “flimsy excuses, but also because he committed to taking concrete steps as soon as possible to resolve the issue.”

Mr. Christofides also said that gender-based violence and femicide are complex issues that do not begin the moment someone picks up a gun and pulls the trigger. “It is a matter of a misguided patriarchal mindset, a sense of ownership over women,” he said.

She emphasized the need to implement the national strategy we have developed—which stems from the Istanbul Convention— as well as to implement all the recommendations outlined in the GREVIO report.

The Committee Chair also noted that among the important issues that emerged are “the gaps that exist regarding the vetting of the ability of those who carry weapons to be held accountable for their firearms,” emphasizing the need for ongoing reassessment of both law enforcement personnel and hunting firearm owners.

As he said, this specific gap “must be addressed as soon as possible,” while he also raised questions about the operation of the “Women’s House,” noting that seven years after its creation, it has not been expanded to the other districts, and its effectiveness should also be evaluated.

At the same time, she emphasized that the Committee will not limit itself to a single discussion of the issue, as it will revisit the matter in late August or early September in order to receive specific answers.

He added that a request has already been made to prepare a roadmap of the necessary legislative initiatives, accompanied by a clear implementation timeline. “We must finally stop saying in this country that such-and-such a provision in the law needs to be changed, only to meet again several years later and repeat the same thing,” he said, noting that the Committee will request specific timelines and monitor their implementation.

He also mentioned that the Committee had asked the relevant official at the Ministry of Justice for a list of all pending legislative measures and the plan for their advancement, making it clear that Parliament will provide legislative support to the executive branch, but “we will not tolerate again, as long as it is within our power, either unexplained delays or these issues being put on the back burner.”

Responding to a related question, he noted that the Ministry of Education is expected to be invited to the Committee’s next session, in order to examine how the prevention strategy is implemented from childhood onward through the education system.

For his part, DISY MP Dimos Georgiadis said that several steps have been taken within the legislative framework to address the issue of femicide, noting that it is the state’s responsibility to enforce the laws and implement the necessary practices. He also noted that an important issue raised today is the matter of psychological evaluations for police officers regarding the carrying of firearms, while he highlighted inter-agency coordination as a key component of success so thatinformation “and enable all parties to work together to prevent future incidents.”

Litsa Drousiotou, a Member of Parliament from the ALMA movement, said that the Istanbul Convention cannot be limited solely to the passage of legislation, emphasizing the need to link agencies and the database on cases of violence. Regarding psychometric tests for police officers, she said that the question has been raised with the Minister and the Chief of Police, adding that we want to see through legislation how we will proceed if these tests are to be administered every three years or, in some cases, every five years.” She also raised questions about the measures taken from 2021 to the present for the full implementation of the Istanbul Convention and the details of reports of violence that resulted in femicide.

For her part, Gender Equality Commissioner Jozy Christodoulou noted that equality is intertwined with the fight against violence and that the goal is to establish a culture of equality.

During the discussion, representatives of organizations and professional bodies highlighted the weaknesses that still exist in addressing gender-based and domestic violence, while raising issues regarding the adequacy of available resources, victims’ access to protection and justice, and the strengthening of mental health services.

Source: CNA