Private criminal charges were filed against five individuals on Tuesday over the 2005 death of national guardsman Thanasis Nicolaou, whose body was found under a bridge in Limassol nearly 20 years ago.

The development marks the first criminal proceedings in the long-running case, which has drawn sustained public attention and scrutiny.

According to Philenews, the charges were submitted to the Limassol district court by lawyers Nicos Clerides and Savvas Matsas, representing Nicolaou’s family. The state law office had previously declined to bring charges, citing insufficient evidence.

Court officials confirmed that the indictment lists five defendants, including former state pathologist Panicos Stavrianos, who ruled at the time of his death that Thanasis had committed suicide.

The remaining four defendants are reported to be former senior officers of Limassol police who were involved in the early stages of the case. Their names have not been disclosed, as the court has not yet accepted the indictment.

Nicolaou, aged 26 at the time, was found dead under the Alassa bridge near Limassol in September 2005. Authorities initially classified his death as a suicide, a conclusion reaffirmed by a second inquiry in 2009.

His family disputed those findings, citing alleged investigative shortcomings.

In 2020, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled that Cyprus had breached the right to life by failing to conduct an effective investigation.

A third inquiry, completed in 2024, determined that Nicolaou had been strangled, concluding his death was a homicide.

The Supreme Court upheld the homicide ruling in February 2025, increasing pressure for further action.

By mid-2025, prosecutors had identified seven individuals, including Stavrianos, as potential defendants, while the European Parliament highlighted the case as a test of the rule of law in Cyprus.

But the legal service said there was not enough evidence to bring charges.

As the current proceedings involve a private criminal prosecution, the court must first review and approve the indictment before it can be registered.

The case has been referred to a district judge for examination, with two judges expected to review the documents due to the scope and complexity of the charges.

A decision on whether to accept or reject the indictment is expected within the next one to two days, according to judicial sources. If approved, the case will proceed to trial under private prosecution brought by Nicolaou’s family.