The Supreme Court has ruled that arrest and search warrants issued by the Limassol District Court against an Azeri national accused of spying in the British Bases in Cyprus were lawfully granted.
The man, an Azeri holder of a British passport, faces charges before the Limassol Criminal Court for espionage, publishing information relating to defence projects, entering a prohibited area and money laundering. He has denied the charges.
The defendant had sought permission to challenge the validity of the warrants, issued on 21 June 2025, arguing that they were based on unverified information from a third country outside the European Union. His lawyer, Efstathios K. Efstathiou, claimed the lower court had relied on unchecked and uncorroborated intelligence, without an EU legal framework for mutual recognition or judicial cooperation.
Justice Angelos David dismissed the claim, citing the sworn testimony of the investigator, who referred only to information provided by a “cooperating country.”
The Supreme Court said the intelligence contained specific details of the defendant’s alleged involvement, behaviour, and role in the offences under investigation, rather than vague or speculative claims. The information was later corroborated by surveillance carried out by Cypriot authorities.
The judge concluded that police suspicions were reasonable and the necessity of issuing an arrest warrant could not be questioned, given the risk of flight, interference with justice, and possible destruction of evidence.
The offences were allegedly committed between April and 21 June 2025 in Cyprus. Authorities say the defendant collected information about the presence of British forces at Akrotiri and Andreas Papandreou bases, and was suspected of potential involvement in planning an imminent terrorist attack.
According to police surveillance, he was seen walking daily near the British bases carrying a camera, magnifying glass, and three mobile phones. He was observed taking photographs with both phones and a digital camera, making phone calls, and keeping written notes.
The police also alleged he was in contact with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Three days after his arrest in Cyprus, a second Azeri national was detained in Crete on similar espionage suspicions.
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