New protest to mark 20 years since Thanasis joined army
A new protest is planned outside the legal service on Saturday by the family of conscript Thanasis Nicolaou, to mark 20 years since he enrolled in the army.
“The family of the murdered soldier, Athanasios Nicolaou call on ALL citizens of Cyprus to protest outside the offices of the Legal Service on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at 6 pm, exactly 20 years since the day of Athanasios’ enlistment in the army,” his mother Andriana said in a post on Facebook.
His “tragic case” concerns us all, she said, “because we all send children to the army and it could happen to anyone”.
She also called for all culprits to be brought to justice.
“We demand that the insult to his memory be stopped by those involved who covered up his murder,” she said.
“For 20 years, Cypriot Justice has been covering up the heinous crime, the brutal murder of Thanasis, which took place within the National Guard, while on duty.
“We demand justice for Thanasis.”
Nicolaou was found dead under a bridge in Alassa, Limassol, in September 2005 during his military service.
Authorities at the time ruled his death a suicide, claiming he had jumped. His family, however, consistently rejected this version, alleging that Thanasis had been bullied during his army service and was murdered.
For over 15 years, the family fought for the case to be reopened.
Nicolaou’s body was exhumed in 2020. In 2021, new forensic findings confirmed he was strangled. In 2024, a coroner ruled his death a murder.
The Supreme Court upheld that ruling in February 2025.
Last month the legal service decided not to file any criminal charges over the death.