ECHR orders Cyprus to pay compensation in parental custody case

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ordered Cyprus to pay €12,000 to Evangelia Zavridou for moral damage, as it ruled her right to respect of private and family life had been violated.

Zavridou is a Cypriot citizen, born in 1970 and living in Nicosia.

Her application against Cyprus was lodged on March 14, 2022, and communicated on March 8, 2023,

According to the ECHR, the application concerns the non-enforcement of two orders issued by the Family Court of Nicosia owing to the opposition of the children’s father.

Specifically, on October 25, 2019, the court granted the applicant custody and care of her two children and on June 5, 2020, ordered the father to surrender the children to her.

On account of the father’s failure to abide by the latter, the court sentenced him to 45 days’ imprisonment.

During his imprisonment, the children remained at the father’s house with his parents and they were not surrendered to the applicant.

The applicant complained about the alleged inefficiency of the Cypriot authorities in swiftly and diligently enforcing the orders and in making all efforts necessary to reunite her with her children, according to the Family Court’s orders in her favour.