The streets of Strovolos saw a powerful show of solidarity as a march was held in memory of Thanasis Nicolaou on Saturday morning.

Despite two decades of heartbreak, his mother, Andriana Nicolaou, walked with around a hundred people who came together to support her long and painful fight for justice.

The march, a people’s initiative, started at 10.30am from the church of Ayia Marina and served as a symbol of the collective grief and resolve of those who had stood by Andriana. As she took part in the march, Andriana expressed her deep gratitude to the people of Cyprus for keeping the memory of her son alive and fighting alongside her for so long.

Thanasis, a national guardsman, was found dead under a bridge near Limassol in 2005. It was originally ruled a suicide, a claim Andrianna vigorously denied stating her son was severely bullied in the national guard.

“This march today was a people’s initiative,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. “I thank everyone who has stood by us. Thanasis was a child, and no other child like him will ever be born again.”

The march was more than just an act of remembrance; it marked a significant moment in Andriana’s long journey toward closure. After years of court cases and prolonged uncertainty, she received the long-awaited and final confirmation that her son’s death was a murder.

The supreme court of Cyprus had, just the day before, dismissed an appeal filed by the original forensic expert in the case Panicos Stavrianos, definitively closing the case on the cause of Thanasis’ death. The court upheld the findings of the initial investigation, confirming that the young national guard soldier had been murdered.

“It was always going to be this way,” Andriana remarked.

“The report was clear. How could anyone believe that a body could survive a 30-metre fall and be an accident? Did I not know my child? Did not everyone else? For years, they ignored the truth.”

The confirmation was the culmination of a painful 20-year journey for Andriana, who had spent nearly two decades fighting for the truth to be acknowledged. She often felt like a lone voice in the wilderness, as the system continually stalled, delaying justice at every turn.

“Why did I have to exhume my son’s body for him to speak the truth?” she asked. “Why did they continue to delay, blocking us at every turn?”

Now, the case moves to the next phase. The criminal investigators will soon provide their conclusions on the causes of Thanasis’ death and whether anyone should be held accountable for his murder. The results are expected by March 7.

“I hope this case will be solved as it should be,” Andriana said.

“The people are with me, just as they’ve been with the recent decisions made. The crime was clear from the start, and I can’t understand why it was hidden for so long. This has been a massive cover-up, and if a crime so obvious to anyone was concealed for 20 years, imagine how many others have been buried.”
She expressed hope that witnesses will come forward to assist in bringing the case to its rightful conclusion.

“We will proceed based on their findings,” Andriana said. “I remain hopeful.”

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court had earlier ruled in favour of an earlier investigation’s findings, rejecting an appeal by Stavrianos. Investigator Doria Varosiotou had concluded that Thanasis died from strangulation, a determination the court upheld. The court’s decision, made on December 18, 2024, was unanimous, marking a final and unchallengeable ruling on the matter. This decision was upheld on Friday.

For Andriana, the court’s ruling is an essential first step towards healing, but the questions remain: Who is responsible for Thanasis’ death, and will those responsible face justice?

“It’s done,” she said quietly. “Now, I just want to know why.”