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Nicosia district court on Wednesday ruled that the Republic of Cyprus violated the human rights of former defence minister Costas Papacostas during his incarceration in the aftermath of the 2011 blast at Evangelos Florakis naval base in Mari.
According to a press release by his family’s lawyers Achilleas Demetriades and Michalis Fieros, Papacostas’ family has won a lawsuit against the government, validating their claims that the former defence minister had been unjustly treated during his imprisonment.
The explosion took place in July 2011, when a large amount of ammunition and military explosives kept in shipping containers at the naval base self-detonated, killing 13 people and injuring a further 62.
A three-judge panel at the time ruled that Papacostas, then 73, was responsible for safeguarding the containers and was aware of the dangers posed by the way they had been stored, but failed to take action to prevent the explosion.
He was sentenced in July 2013 to five years in prison for manslaughter and causing death by reckless or dangerous acts.
Papacostas died in September 2015, while serving time, as appeals made by his family for his release due to his seriously compromised health were rejected.
The court ruled that Papacostas was not granted the right to yard time between July 2013 and April 2015, which had been recommended by his doctors since November 2014.
According to the court, this constitutes inhumane treatment in violation of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and Article 8 of the Constitution.
The court further awarded damages of €20,000 for human rights violations.
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