The window of opportunity to file an appeal after a criminal conviction should be increased from three months to six months, the House legal committee agreed on Wednesday, after a proposal put forth by independent MP Costis Efstathiou.
A legal service rep said certain provisions in the legislative proposal however were clearly aimed at benefiting a specific individual.
“We cannot legislate for specific people.”
The rep said a suggestion floated to increase the window of opportunity to three years was too much, but the six-month timeframe “was just fine”.
Representatives from the justice ministry and legal service agreed, while the ombudswoman’s office and bar association said they would send their views in writing.
A justice ministry rep said they were discussing the matter with the legal service and were on the same page.
Nayia Christodoulou from the ombudswoman’s office said she would brief the ombudswoman, whose views would be sent in writing to the committee.
Efstathiou stressed the existing three-month timeframe “prevents anyone who wishes to study a case and submit an application to the Supreme Court. More time is needed”.
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