The lawyer of an Azeri man who is behind bars in Nicosia after being accused of planning to carry out terrorism acts against Israelis living in Cyprus has accused police of torturing his client.
Efstathios Efstathiou filed a complaint with the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) earlier this week alleging that police conducted a search in the Azeri’s cell without a warrant and with the officers wearing hoods.
The Nicosia lawyer argued that this is an act which is contrary to EU directives and Council of Europe recommendations.
However, the police told Philenews that the officers went to the prison with an arrest warrant in hand. And that they were wearing hoods for protection purposes.
Following a tip-off, the police had carried out the search where they found and confiscated a mobile phone and some notes.
The Azeri man who had been living on both sides of divided Cyprus was arrested two years ago. He reportedly would often shuttle between the breakaway Turkish-held norther part of Cyprus and the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus.
The suspect has denied any involvement in the case and the case before Nicosia Assize Court is ongoing.
