In the case of Souroullas Kay and Zannettos v. Cyprus the Court held that there had been no violation of the right to a fair trial and no violation of the right to adequate time and facilities for preparation of defence.

The case concerned the first applicant’s conviction for money laundering and the second applicant’s for extortion in connection with a land deal. A key part of the evidence had been the testimony of N.L., a property entrepreneur and owner of ALKI Larnaca, a football club. N.L. had been given immunity from prosecution after he had given statements implicating, among others, the applicants.

The Court found that the trial had not been compromised by the inclusion of N.L.’s evidence as the national courts had been cautious in treating that evidence, and there had been other corroboration available too.

• Press release