Supreme Court of Cyprus awards €25,000 compensation to heroine of the book “Eleni — Prostitute, Angel in Hell”

The Supreme Court of Cyprus overturned the lower court’s decision in a high-profile case related to the book «Ελένη η πόρνη, ένας άγγελος στην κόλαση» (“Eleni — Prostitute, Angel in Hell”) and recognized a violation of Eleni Socratus’ right to privacy.

Previously, in 2016, the Nicosia District Court dismissed Socratus’ lawsuit against the author of the book, Annita Nicolaou. However, the Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court concluded that the case had been considered on an incorrect legal basis.

The court found that the publication of the book constituted an intrusion into the plaintiff’s personal and intimate life and ordered the author to pay €25,000 in compensation, as well as €3,400 in legal costs.

In its decision, the court noted that the author of the book had established a trusting relationship with Socratus, met with her regularly, listened to her personal story, and took notes, after which she used the obtained information in the publication. The book contained details concerning the plaintiff’s sexual life, personal relationships, and emotional state.

The court emphasized that the key issue was not the exact match of the biography, but the possibility of identifying the person. The Supreme Court pointed out that people who knew Socratus could easily recognize her as the book’s heroine. This was confirmed by witness testimonies citing similarities in life facts, habits, and events described in the book.

The court also took into account the commercial benefit derived from publishing the book and its adaptation, even though it was impossible to accurately assess the profit.

The Supreme Court’s decision has become an important precedent regarding the protection of privacy and personal data in literature and media.