Three criminal cases against prominent Cyprus journalist raise alarm over press freedom

The Cyprus Journalists’ Union has raised concerns over three criminal investigations involving journalist and author Makarios Drousiotis, warning that criminal proceedings against journalists can pose serious risks to freedom of expression.

The union said Drousiotis had become the subject of three separate investigations within a short period, involving three different alleged offences: disseminating false news, violating personal data legislation and conducting an illegal fundraising campaign.

The legal pressure on Drousiotis comes amid wider international concern over Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) – legal actions that can be used by powerful actors to put pressure on critics through prolonged and costly proceedings. While SLAPPs are traditionally associated with civil lawsuits seeking substantial damages, media freedom advocates have warned that multiple legal proceedings, including criminal investigations, can have a similar chilling effect by placing financial and psychological pressure on journalists and discouraging public-interest reporting.

‘When a journalist is prosecuted criminally, the dangers lurking for freedom of expression are visible, tangible and foreseeable,’ the union’s board said.

The organisation said it was closely monitoring the developments and questioned whether the perception that Drousiotis was being specifically targeted by the authorities was justified. ‘Is the suspicion that this particular journalist is being targeted by the authorities reasonable or unreasonable?’ the union asked.

It stressed that Cyprus’ justice system must ensure equal treatment under the law, arguing that a system governed by the rule of law must itself remain open to scrutiny. ‘A citizen who breaks the law is prosecuted. A justice system that operates unevenly is judged,’ the union said.

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Three investigations

The first criminal case involving Drousiotis concerns what the union referred to as the ‘Sandy’ case. When charges were initially brought, the journalists’ union said its board examined the matter extensively but decided not to issue a public statement because it believed this could be interpreted as interference in judicial proceedings.

The decision itself attracted criticism.

The Sandy case concerns a collection of messages belonging to a woman identified by the pseudonym “Sandy”, which Drousiotis said contained evidence of alleged wrongdoing involving public officials. According to the account, Sandy gave the material to Drousiotis, who kept it for three years before publishing it shortly before the parliamentary elections, in which he was a candidate. Sandy later said that she had not been aware that the material would be published and had not given her consent.

The messages contained allegations of corruption, blackmail and attempts to cover up wrongdoing, as well as claims of sexual abuse and references to an alleged network connected to the Rosicrucian Brotherhood.

Drousiotis subsequently became involved in a second criminal case connected to his book Mafia State, followed shortly afterwards by a third investigation.

The union now identifies the three allegations as the dissemination of false news, violations of personal data legislation and conducting an illegal fundraising campaign.

The latter concerns an online crowdfunding campaign launched by Drousiotis to raise money for his legal expenses.

The president of the Cyprus Bar Association, Michalis Vorkas, has urged caution over that investigation, stressing that the presumption of innocence must be respected.

The investigation followed a complaint from the interior ministry alleging a possible breach of Cyprus’ Fundraising Law of 2014.

Police confirmed that they had received a letter from the chairman of the licensing authority for nationwide fundraising appeals asking them to investigate whether offences may have been committed in connection with Drousiotis’ online campaign.

Police spokeswoman Marina Christodoulidou said the matter would be examined by the police, which would determine what further action, if any, should be taken.

Vorkas also raised questions about whether the Cypriot fundraising legislation applies to crowdfunding conducted through an online platform based abroad.

He explained that the legislation requires organisers of public fundraising campaigns to obtain prior authorisation from the licensing authority, which includes representatives of the interior ministry, police and social welfare services.

Mafia State and the allegations against former president Anastasiades

Drousiotis’ book Mafia State, published in 2022, is also at the centre of a wider controversy involving allegations of corruption and abuse of power.

A report published by Cyprus’ anti-corruption authority in June proposed investigations into former president Nicos Anastasiades, members of the prosecution and judiciary, a former minister, a former MP, a Russian oligarch, lawyers and other individuals over suspected corruption, abuse of power, influence peddling and money laundering, among other allegations.

The report was prepared in response to allegations contained in Drousiotis’ book.

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Anastasiades has rejected the allegations against him, describing claims made in the book as defamatory. He has also accused his critics of violating the presumption of innocence and creating ‘people’s courts’ through what he described as a malicious online campaign.

The former president has denied, among other allegations, claims concerning close relations with Russian oligarchs and accusations that he promoted legislation in their interests.

Anastasiades has called for an independent investigator and prosecutor to establish the facts.

He has also temporarily withdrawn from the collective bodies of the Democratic Rally, the largest party in Cyprus’ parliament, saying he would remain outside them until ‘the truth’ about the allegations against him becomes clear.

A separate case before the European Court of Human Rights

Drousiotis is also the applicant in a case before the European Court of Human Rights concerning alleged state surveillance and interference with his journalistic work.

According to the case information, application no. 7256/25 was lodged on 28 February 2025 and communicated to the Cypriot government on 16 February 2026.

Drousiotis, described as a journalist and author of several books concerning alleged corruption scandals involving senior Cypriot politicians, claims that state authorities interfered with his electronic devices and that he was subjected to secret surveillance.

He says that police investigated the matter following his complaints but did not reach concrete conclusions. He also says police asked him to hand over his mobile phone for further examinations.

Relying on Article 8, which protects the right to respect for private and family life, Drousiotis challenges the Cypriot legal framework governing secret surveillance. Under Article 10, which protects freedom of expression and the press, he argues that surveillance was used to deter him from carrying out investigative journalism and that the authorities gained access to sensitive information concerning his investigations. He also relies on Article 13, which guarantees the right to an effective remedy, arguing that he has no effective way of challenging these alleged violations before the Cypriot authorities.

Sources: EUalive’s partner Politis, Cyrpus mail and Philenews

Caption: Photo posted by Makarios Drousiotis on his Facebook page on 18 May 2026