The investigator in the case of Thanasis Nicolaou reported receiving threats to the police

Former senior prosecutor Savvas Matsas informed the Nicosia police about a series of anonymous calls and threats on social media related to his involvement in the investigation into the death of conscript Thanasis Nicolaou. According to Matsas, one of the messages allegedly came from a relative of a person involved in the case and contained a direct threat.

Matsas had previously concluded that Nicolaou was strangled, and did not commit suicide as determined by the initial investigation. After that, he was removed from the case — he publicly pointed to the possible involvement of former police officers and forensic pathologist Panicos Stavrianos. The court proceedings have lasted for almost 20 years: Thanasis Nicolaou was found dead under a bridge in Alassa on September 29, 2005. In May 2024, Judge Doria Varoshiotou ruled that the death was caused by strangulation, and the European Court of Human Rights criticized Cyprus for the insufficiency of the investigation.

In June 2025, the prosecutor’s office refused to initiate criminal proceedings, and the family filed a private prosecution. The Council of Ministers appointed an independent investigation led by retired officer Lambros Pappas and lawyer Thanasis Athanasiou. The Nicosia police are examining Matsas’s complaint, and the authorities are analyzing reports of pressure on participants in the process. This may delay further procedures; concerned residents should await official statements from the police and the prosecutor’s office and refrain from spreading unverified versions.