Nicosia, Cyprus. Police have again released photographs of three missing Palestinian children after a court of appeals overturned a district court ruling and ordered their father and two adult siblings remanded in custody. The three defendants face 122 charges of violence and abuse.
Appeals court ruling
The appeals court announced on Friday that it had accepted the attorney-general’s appeal, ruling that the court of first instance had wrongly released the defendants on bail because there was a real risk they could abscond, influence witnesses or reoffend.
The court said that although the defendants had been living in Cyprus for 20 years as refugees, had been working and had no criminal record, these factors were not sufficient to outweigh the severity of the case.
They will remain in custody until their trial on July 16 before the Famagusta criminal court.
Charges and allegations
The alleged crimes are said to have been committed from 2013 until May 2026. They include systematic physical and psychological abuse, child abuse, kidnapping, indecent assault, sexual assault, attempted sexual assault of a child, causing grievous bodily harm, threats and humiliation.
According to the indictment, the minors had been living in deplorable conditions for years and were subjected to violence, food deprivation and restrictions on their freedom.
Defendants and missing children
The defendants are the 46-year-old father, his 23-year-old daughter and 21-year-old son.
The missing children are Sarra Esaifan, 17, Kawtar Esaifan, 14, and Ahlam Esaifan, 15.
Sarra and Kawtar were reported missing from their place of residence in Aglandjia, Nicosia, on June 30, while Ahlam went missing from her home in Famagusta district on the same day.
Sarra is described as 1.62 metres tall, of average weight, with black hair. She was wearing blue Bermuda shorts, a grey T-shirt, a black jacket, and black and white sports shoes.
