The Cyprus Supreme Court has decided to release a Palestinian-Lebanese man who had been held for deportation for over a year, saying that state had no reason to keep him in custody, since it was unable to successfully return him to Lebanon twice.

According to a decision dated Tuesday, October 10, the Supreme Court decided to grant the man, who has been held in Paphos holding cell since September 30, 2022, his appeal for Habeas Corpus ad Subjiciendum, which he applied for in September this year.

This is a writ inquiring into the lawfulness of imprisoning or detaining a person.

The decision said orders were issued to deport the man a year ago, and that Cyprus had attempted to send him back to Lebanon twice, but failed since they had not informed the Lebanese authorities prior to sending the man back, something which is part of the agreement Cyprus has with Lebanon.

Cyprus had attempted to return the man twice in July 2023, and after failing and being informed by Lebanon that the agreed process was not followed, the authorities reached out to the Lebanese embassy.

However, the embassy has still not processed or responded to the request by the authorities, which led the court to decide that the man’s detainment is unsubstantiated.

The authorities have the man’s passport and identity information, prompting the judge to say claims by the defence from the attorney-general’s office that the man was not cooperating with authorities are false.

The court’s final decision said that the man should be released immediately, the state should pay the €1,000 fee plus VAT for the appeal he was granted, and the state needs to pay the interpreter fees for the man.