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Unsworn defendant statements will be a thing of the past in the Republic of Cyprus, with government officials saying the practice that prevented cross-examination was trouble in the delivery of justice.
According to local media, the right for a defendant to submit an unsworn statement will be removed from all criminal cases filed after 29 April 2022.
Unsworn testimonies have been a matter of controversy within the justice system of the Republic of Cyprus, as the accused could effectively present his or her version of facts without being subject to cross-examination.
But after parliament passed new legislation on criminal procedure, defendants will now have only two options: testify under oath and face cross-examination or remain silent to exercise the right against self-incrimination.
The news came following reports based on the 2022 EU Justice Scoreboard that described the performance of the Cyprus justice system as the “worst in the EU.”
