Its media Cyprus continue to follow a case that left public opinion speechless in Cyprus, but also in the Australian community: the murder of Thanasis Nikolaou.
The then 26-year-old Thanasis Nikolaou had been informed that the condition to return to Cyprus was to serve for one semester in the army, while he already planned to work in the architectural office first, so that later he could open his own office. Nevertheless, he was a victim of bullying because of his diversity (accent, origin).
Thanasis Nikolaou was a victim of bullying to such an extent that his daily life was disrupted. Some of the humiliations he had to undergo included making love confessions to a lamp, having his head pressed when he bent down to tie his shoelaces, or being afraid to drive his car. His sleep was disturbed, or he had to suffer "jokes", such as having papers set on fire at his feet.
These provoked four people in the army, as well as a commander and a chief of staff who knew about the matter but did not speak, until the day of the assassination of Thanasis Nikolaos.
Ο coroner Panikos Stavrianos ruled that it was suicide, by falling from a bridge. However, evidence and evidence began to cast doubt on the authorities, as the body was found lying on its back. No fingerprints were taken from the car "so it wouldn't get dirty". The victim's mother took it upon herself to collect evidence, and found blood stains under the bridge where her son fell, as well as bruises on his fingers. Sand was found in his mouth.
The case, which until then had been closed, was reopened when Cyprus was condemned by the ECtHR, under the category of incomplete investigation. Ultimately, death was found to have resulted from strangulation after a brutal blow to the body, which caused a fractured sternum and rupture of vital organs.
Coroner Panikos Stavrianos now sees himself being blamed for the initial conclusion of the case. With his letters to the President of the Republic, the Minister of Justice, the Attorney General and the Chief of Police, he directly raises the issue of a violation of the fair trial, that his rights were violated, that he was judged and sentenced before being heard by both the criminal investigators and the press . Stavrianos argues that it already seems as if he has been tried and even condemned, without being able to defend himself anymore. In fact, in these letters he talks about the safety of his life, and asks for the risk to be assessed.
At the same time, the family of Thanasis Nikolaou is expected to go to court. The finding, which was eventually given to the Attorney General, is the first time a criminal action has been taken against the 26-year-old soldier, charging four people with the possibility of three more being charged in the commission of the crime.
Nikolaou's family is demanding the report of the criminal investigators, and the matter is expected to be clarified in the coming days. Nikolaou's mother, in her post on social media, mentions the refusal of the Legal Service to deliver to her the conclusion of the criminal investigators.
"Listening to the Assistant Attorney General referring to the reasons why they do not give us the conclusion, I also understand the reason why justice is not being served in this place. They keep the findings to themselves, only they study them and handle the cases as they see fit without giving information to the affected victims. We immediately demand that the conclusion be given to us parents as well, gentlemen. We want to study it too. We have every right." he says.
