All three people arrested in connection with a TikTok livestream in which a child with Down syndrome was encouraged to perform indecent acts were released on Friday, after the Nicosia district court refused police requests to remand two suspects and investigators later freed a third following questioning.

The developments came hours after police announced the arrest of a third suspect as part of the cybercrime unit’s investigation into the widely condemned livestream.

Police said the third suspect was arrested shortly before 1pm on Thursday following the assessment of evidence gathered during the investigation.

After questioning, the individual was released while investigations continue.

Earlier on Thursday, the Nicosia district court rejected a police application to remand two women who had also been arrested in connection with the case, leading to their release.

Police confirmed the court had not approved the detention request but offered no explanation to the Cyprus Mail as to why the application had failed.

The justice ministry also declined to comment, saying the matter fell within the police’s remit.

The decision has drawn attention because police had argued that the seriousness of the allegations justified keeping the two women in custody while investigations continued.

A criminal lawyer, speaking to the Cyprus Mail, said courts have broad discretion when deciding whether to grant a remand order and must consider whether there are reasonable grounds to believe a suspect could interfere with evidence, commit further offences or abscond, including by crossing into the north.

He said the circumstances nevertheless “appeared unusual”, particularly given that police had previously maintained they were unable to identify the suspects after receiving the original complaint on June 1.

The handling of the investigation has already attracted criticism from disability organisations after the initial inquiry was discontinued because police said those involved could not be identified. The case was revived after members of the public identified individuals appearing in the video.

The investigation centres on a TikTok livestream in which the child was encouraged to expose himself while being mocked during the broadcast.

The union for the disabled (Kysoa) described the incident as abuse and urged the public to stop sharing the footage.

Its president, Themis Anthopoulou said that “circulating a video is equivalent to the abuse recorded in the video” and questioned why police had failed to identify those involved for almost two months when, she said, “an ordinary member of the public” had managed to do so within an hour.

Police said investigations into the circumstances surrounding the livestream and any offences arising from its creation and distribution are continuing.