Mayor Faidon Faïdonos' Closed‑Door Rape Trial Begins in Paphos

The criminal hearing against Faidon Faïdonos, the acting mayor of Paphos, Cyprus, opened today before the Permanent Criminal Court in Paphos. The court ordered the trial to be conducted behind closed doors to protect the privacy and safety of the complainant, citing risks of stigma and intimidation.

Faïdonos faces five charges: rape, two counts of indecent assault, drugging a person to facilitate a crime, and assault causing bodily harm. He has denied all accusations. The hearing is scheduled to run daily from 27 July to 31 July 2026.

A new panel of judges presides over the case after the previous judge recused himself. The bench now includes President Lia Markou, Judge Theodoros Simeonidis, and Judge Maria Sokratous. The court also prohibited any publication of the proceedings. In its reasoning, the presiding judge referenced European Court of Human Rights jurisprudence on closed‑door trials in sexual‑offence cases.