Domestic application of international criminal law
Republic of Cyprus
Domestic Legislation | Resources and Links
Crimes Crime of Aggression
Cyprus ratified the amendments to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court on the crime of aggression on 25 September 2013 and incorporated into its domestic legislation the definition contained in the Rome Statute through the following Law:
Law 13(III)/2013 amending the Rome Statute for the Establishment of the International Criminal Court (Ratification) Law of 2002.
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 4180, 20 September 2013. [ELL]. [PDF file]
See also:
Law 3(III)/2018 amending the Rome Statute for the Establishment of the International Criminal Court (Ratification) Law of 2002.
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 4243, 16 August 2018. [ELL]. [PDF file]
Law 23(III)/2006 amending the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ratification) law of 2002.
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 4074, 28 July 2006. English version provided by the Council of Europe. [ENG]
Law 23(III)/2006 amending the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ratification) law of 2002.
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 4074, 28 July 2006. [ELL]. [PDF file]
Andorra, Cyprus, Slovenia, and Uruguay ratify amendments to the Rome Statute on the crime of aggression and article 8.
ICC-ASP-20131001-PR946, Assembly of States Parties to the International Criminal Court, The Hague, 01 October 2013. [ENG]Crimes Against Humanity
Crimes against humanity are defined in Section 2 of the 2006 Law amending the Rome Statute for the Establishment of the International Criminal Court (Ratification) Law of 2002 and Sections 2-5 of the Rome Statute for the Establishment of the International Criminal Court (Ratification) Law of 2002:
Law 23(III)/2006 amending the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ratification) law of 2002.
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 4074, 28 July 2006. English version provided by the Council of Europe. [ENG]Law 8(III)/2002: Rome Statute for the Establishment of the International Criminal Court (Ratification) Law of 2002.
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 3585, 11 Mars 2002. [ELL]. [PDF file]Genocide
Genocide is defined in Section 2 of the 2006 Law amending the Rome Statute for the Establishment of the International Criminal Court (Ratification) Law of 2002 and Sections 2-5 of the Rome Statute for the Establishment of the International Criminal Court (Ratification) Law of 2002:
Law 23(III)/2006 amending the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ratification) law of 2002.
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 4074, 28 July 2006. English version provided by the Council of Europe. [ENG]Law 8(III)/2002: Rome Statute for the Establishment of the International Criminal Court (Ratification) Law of 2002.
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 3585, 11 Mars 2002. [ELL]. [PDF file]
See also:
Law 26(III)/2011 amending the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Ratification) Law of 1980.
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 4154, 09 September 2011. [ELL]. [PDF file]Law 59/1980: The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Ratification) Law of 1980.
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 1640, 24 October 1980. [ELL]. [PDF file]War Crimes
War crimes are defined in Section 2 of the 2006 Law amending the Rome Statute for the Establishment of the International Criminal Court (Ratification) Law of 2002 and Sections 2-5 of the Rome Statute for the Establishment of the International Criminal Court (Ratification) Law of 2002:
Law 23(III)/2006 amending the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ratification) law of 2002.
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 4074, 28 July 2006. English version provided by the Council of Europe. [ENG]Law 8(III)/2002: Rome Statute for the Establishment of the International Criminal Court (Ratification) Law of 2002.
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 3585, 11 Mars 2002. [ELL]. [PDF file]
See also:
Law 3(III)/2018 amending the Rome Statute for the Establishment of the International Criminal Court (Ratification) Law of 2002.
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 4243, 16 August 2018. [ELL]. [PDF file]
Law 13(III)/2013 amending the Rome Statute for the Establishment of the International Criminal Court (Ratification) Law of 2002.
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 4180, 20 September 2013. [ELL]. [PDF file]
Law 23(III)/2006 amending the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ratification) law of 2002.
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 4074, 28 July 2006. [ELL]. [PDF file]
Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (Ratification) Laws 2002 and 2008.
Office of the Law Commissioner, Nicosia, February, 2009. [ENG]
Law No. 43 of 1979: A law to ratify the Additional Protocol (Protocol I) to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August, 1949 and providing for other related matters. (Law on the ratification of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, 12 May 1979).
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 1518, 12 May 1979. Unofficial translation provided by the International Committee of the Red Cross. [ENG]
Law No. 40 of 1966: A law to ratify certain international conventions concluded in Geneva in 12 August, 1949, enforce them and provide for other related matters. (Geneva Conventions Ratification Law, 18 May 1966).
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 510, 18 July 1966. Unofficial translation provided by the International Committee of the Red Cross. [ENG]
Jurisdiction ➤ The Rome Statute for the Establishment of the International Criminal Court (Ratification)(Amendment) Law of 2006, Law 23(III)/2006, asserts universal jurisdiction over genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Under Section 6 of the Law, irrespective of the jurisdiction rules set by section 5 of the Criminal Code, the Court shall have jurisdiction to determine any offence contrary to this Law whether committed within or outside the territory of the Republic and whether committed by a citizen of the Republic or by some other person.
"This law defines genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes as criminal offences punishable by life imprisonment. It also deems punishable certain ancillary acts: participating in the commission of any of the core crimes under the Rome Statute; inciting, inducing or procuring another to commit such offences; and attempting or conspiring to commit such offences. The Assize Court is given jurisdiction over the crimes defined in the law, irrespective of the place of commission and the nationality of the perpetrator. The court may take into consideration the International Criminal Court’s Elements of Crimes when interpreting and applying the provisions of the law. Criminal prosecution for these crimes may be conducted only by the Attorney General, or initiated on his written approval." [Volume 89 Number 865 March 2007, International review of the Red Cross, p. 210]
See:
Law 23(III)/2006 amending the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ratification) law of 2002.
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 4074, 28 July 2006. English version provided by the Council of Europe. [ENG]
➤ Article 5.1(e) of the Cyprus Criminal Code, Cap. 154, states the following:"5.1 The Criminal Code and any other law which prescribes a criminal offence, shall apply to all offences which have been committed- [...]
➤ Regarding the specific case of war crimes, the Geneva Conventions Ratification Law of 1966 provides for the punishment of grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions on the basis of universal jurisdiction. See:(e) in any foreign country by any person, if the offence:
(i) is treason or an offence against the security of the Republic or the Constitutional Order, or
(ii) piracy, or
(iii) is connected to the currency or banknotes of the Republic, or
(iv) concerns illegal trade in dangerous drugs, or
(v) is one of the offences which, pursuant to any International Treaty or Convention binding on the Republic, the Law of the Republic is applicable, or
(vi) has, as one of its elements, an act or omission against immovable property situated in the Republic, including conspiracy or attempt, or incitement, or attempt to incite another to commit an offence which has, as one of its elements, an act or omission against immovable property situated in the Republic."
Law No. 40 of 1966: A law to ratify certain international conventions concluded in Geneva in 12 August, 1949, enforce them and provide for other related matters. (Geneva Conventions Ratification Law, 18 May 1966).
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 510, 18 July 1966. Unofficial translation provided by the International Committee of the Red Cross. [ENG]
See also:
Information provided by Cyprus on the scope and application of the principle of universal jurisdiction in accordance with General Assembly resolution 64/117.
The scope and application of the principle of universal jurisdiction (Agenda item 86), General Assembly of the United Nations, Sixth Committee (Legal), sixty-fifth session (4 October to 11 November 2010). [ENG]
[General Assembly resolution 64/117 (A/RES/64/117) of 15 January 2010, "[R]equests the Secretary-General to invite Member States to submit, before 30 April 2010, information and observations on the scope and application of the principle of universal jurisdiction, including information on the relevant applicable international treaties, their domestic legal rules and judicial practice, and to prepare and submit to the General Assembly, at its sixty-fifth session, a report based on such information and observations." This document contains the reply provided by Cyprus to the said request.]
Law 23(III)/2006 amending the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ratification) law of 2002.
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 4074, 28 July 2006. English version provided by the Council of Europe. [ENG]
International Criminal Court
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court: Cyprus signed the Rome Statute on 15 October 1998 and deposited its instrument of ratification on 07 March 2002.
Law 3(III)/2018 amending the Rome Statute for the Establishment of the International Criminal Court (Ratification) Law of 2002.
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 4243, 16 August 2018. [ELL]. [PDF file]
Law 13(III)/2013 amending the Rome Statute for the Establishment of the International Criminal Court (Ratification) Law of 2002.
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 4180, 20 September 2013. [ELL]. [PDF file]
Progress Report on Cyprus regarding the implications for Council of Europe Member States of the Ratification of the Rome Statute.
Council of Europe, 4th Consult/ICC (2006) 01, Strasbourg, 24 August 2006. [ENG]
Law 23(III)/2006 amending the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ratification) law of 2002.
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 4074, 28 July 2006. English version provided by the Council of Europe. [ENG]
Law 23(III)/2006 amending the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ratification) law of 2002.
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 4074, 28 July 2006. [ELL]. [PDF file]Law 8(III)/2002: Rome Statute for the Establishment of the International Criminal Court (Ratification) Law of 2002.
Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, No. 3585, 11 Mars 2002. [ELL]. [PDF file]
Statement by the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Cyprus to the UN on the occasion of deposit of the instrument of ratification of the Rome Statute.
The Permanent Mission of the Republic of Cyprus to the United Nations, NY, 07 March 2002. [ENG]
Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus. (Constitution of 1960, with Amendments through 2013).
Comparative Constitutions Project. [ENG]. [Last accessed 25Aug19]. [External link to pdf document]
The Criminal Code Law. (Cap. 154).
CyLaw. [ELL]. [Last accessed 25Aug19]. [External link]
Law 130(I) of 2006 Amending the Criminal Code. (This Law amends, inter alia, Section 5 of the Criminal Code and inserts a new section, Section 303A, in the latter).
Official Gazette No. 4139, 20 October 2006. Netveil. [ELL]. [Last accessed 25Aug19]. [External link to pdf document]
The Criminal Procedure Law. (Cap. 155).
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Criminal Laws of the Republic of Cyprus.
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Cyprus Government Gazette. (Issues as of 2002). (Non official online version of the Cyprus Government Gazette)
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United Nations Digital Library. [ENG]. [Last accessed 25Aug19]. [External Link]UN Documents for Cyprus.
Security Council Report. [ENG]. [Last accessed 25Aug19]. [External Link]The EU's role in the Cyprus Settlement Process: Questions and Answers.
European Commission. [ENG]. [Last accessed 23Aug19]. [External Link]Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus. (Bi-communal body established in 1981 by the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities with the participation of the United Nations). [ENG]. [Last accessed 23Aug19]. [External Link]
List of International Humanitarian Law Treaties to which Cyprus is a State party. [ENG]
(International Committee of the Red Cross). [ENG]. [Last accessed 23Aug19]. [External Link]
Peace agreements concerning the Cyprus Question:The Comprehensive Settlement of the Cyprus Problem. 31 March 2004
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United Nations, DPPA. [ENG/FRA/SPA/RUS/CHI/ARA]. [Last accessed 26Aug19]. [External Link]Security Council Resolution 186: The Cyprus Question. 04 March 1964
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