Data on social media posts and advertisements by 27 individuals and pages, which are alleged to have been directly or indirectly related to the 2026 parliamentary elections, were forwarded by the Ministry of the Interior to the Legal Service, and which were made on the eve of or on the day of the elections, Deputy Election Commissioner Menelaos Vassiliou told CNA when asked about the matter, following the summons for the president of OPEK to testify before the police.
For his part, Police Spokesperson Byron Vyronos told CNA that the police have already begun taking statements regarding all cases under investigation, noting that over 100 posts have been identified which, at first glance, are linked to 27 individuals whom the police are summoning to take their statements and question them. “Among them is Theano Kalavana, who was the only one to react strongly,” he said.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Speaking on the “Alpha Kalimera” show, Theano Kalavana—one of the citizens who was accused— stated that she received a phone call on Sunday at 12:40 p.m. from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Police Headquarters and was informed that she had been reported by the Election Commissioner for a post she had made.
“It was the one and only one, because it was the one and only one I had made, as a citizen of the Republic of Cyprus; this post wasn’t made from the OPEC account either, but from my own accounts—and if you look at my posts, you’ll see I always comment on current events, write opinion pieces, and speak out against what’s wrong, just like any active citizen.”
As she notes, they are scheduled to speak again on Thursday to set a date for her testimony, at which she will be accompanied by her attorney.
Ms. Kalavana questions what the offense is, noting that there were similar posts and photos featuring the current President of the Republic before the elections were over.
“It seems that citizens’ freedom of expression is being violated. I understand to some extent that a candidate or a political coalition might not be allowed to make certain posts; I get that. But how can you restrict citizens’ freedom of expression? And if that post had been made a day earlier—since it circulates on social media—someone might see it on election day. What difference does it make? But we’re talking about a law from 1963—when was that? Back then, social media didn’t even exist.”
He points out that a few years ago, citizens were prosecuted for not going to vote.
“Instead of the Election Commissioner focusing on modernizing the law to ensure a well-functioning democracy, he will waste public funds and tie up the police force investigating ordinary citizens for their social media posts.”
He states that he intends to appeal to the Council of Europe “because the same criteria are being used by the Councils of the Republic of Cyprus, and certain individuals in key positions are clearly violating citizens’ freedom of expression and opinion.”
There were 127 complaints, says the Deputy Election Commissioner
According to Mr. Vassiliou, the data was forwarded to the Ministry of the Interior by the Press and Information Office, and subsequently, on September 1, a letter was sent to the Legal Service, as “in some cases, at first glance, there appears to be a violation of the provisions of the law.”
He explained that these were “either paid advertisements or posts related to the elections that were not paid for,” He also clarified that there were a total of 127 complaints “concerning advertisements or posts that were directly or indirectly related to the 2026 parliamentary elections, by any person, whether paid or unpaid,” and which were made on the eve of or on the day of the election.
When asked to comment on the fact that OPEC President Theano Kalavana was summoned to the Central Police Headquarters to provide an explanation for her post with political content on social media, Mr.Vasileiou noted that this is not the first time the Ministry of the Interior has examined social media posts in connection with the ban in effect on the eve of and on election day, noting that during the 2024 elections as well, related cases had been referred to the Legal Service for investigation.
Referring to the 2026 parliamentary elections, he explained that the law makes no distinction between candidates and non-candidates. “The law states that on the day before the election and on Election Day, no person is permitted to post anything or broadcast any news or advertisement that has a direct or indirectconnection to the elections, whether paid or unpaid,” he said.
As he explained, this refers to the Law on the Election of Members of the House of Representatives, specifically Article 63, paragraph (b). “The law does not distinguish between candidates and non-candidates, nor does it distinguish between paid and unpaid advertising; in fact, it establishes a broader framework, covering any post that has a direct or indirect connection to the elections,” he added.
He added that “as is customary before every election,” relevant announcements had been issued by the Office of the General Election Commissioner ahead of the 2026 parliamentary elections, and a team had been set up within the Press and Information Office to monitor social media.
According to Mr. Vassiliou, based on the information sent by the Press and Information Office, the Ministry of the Interior sent a letter to the Legal Service on September 1, as “in some cases, at first glance, there appears to be a violation of the provisions of the law,” explaining that these involved either paid advertisements or posts related to the elections that were not paid for.”
Regarding Ms. Kalavana’s specific case, he said it involved a post made on the eve of the election. When asked about the content of the post, he noted that it remains on her page.
He also clarified that Ms. Kalavana’s case was not the only one. When asked whether a person’s background is a factor in the investigation, he stated that “background plays no role whatsoever. Other individuals—who were not politicians or anything of the sort—were also reported for making posts. We had five cases involving people who were not candidates,” he said.
When asked about Ms. Kalavana’s position that she expressed her opinion as a private citizen, he reiterated that “the law does not distinguish between candidates and ordinary citizens,” adding that “the criterion under the law is the existence of any direct or indirect connection to the elections.”
Regarding messages of a political nature that were sent during the same period, he clarified that the issue concerning personal data is a separate matter and is handled by the Commissioner for the Protection of Personal Data.
Regarding the next steps in the process, Mr. Vassiliou stated that the Legal Service determined that the cases should be referred to the Police for further investigation to determine whether criminal offenses have been committed.
As he explained, this specific offense is a criminal offense and, in the event of a conviction, “the penalty is up to one year in prison or a fine of up to €5,000, or both.”
Vyronos: Testimony Has Begun
For his part, Byron Vyronos, the police spokesperson, stated that the police have begun taking statements regarding all cases under investigation.
As he explained, about five days ago they received a letter with instructions from the Legal Service to investigate a complaint by the Election Commissioner regarding posts made on social media duringthe period during which any posting is prohibited—namely, the day before and the day of the election—and which concern violations of the law on the election of representatives.
As he said, “Over 100 posts were identified, which, at first glance, are linked to 27 individuals whom the police are summoning to take their statements and question them. Among them is Theano Kalavana, who was the only one to react strongly.”
When asked which political camps the political figures named in the complaint belong to, he stated, “There’s no need to go into such details.” He also said that once the statements have been taken, the investigative work will be completed and the case will be sent back to the Legal Service for further instructions.
When asked whether this was the first time such a thing had happened, he noted that similar complaints had been made in the past and had been investigated. “There is a law; we must abide by it—the laws apply to everyone,” he said. When asked to comment on whether it is clear what is permitted when dealing with a citizen rather than a political figure, Mr. Vyronos emphasized that the law states “by any person.”
