5SAH Extradition Team acted on both sides of the recent lead case on Cypriot prison conditions before the Administrative Court.
Rebecca Hill and Georgia Beatty acted for the husband and wife Appellants and secured a finding that extradition to Cyprus presents a real risk of inhuman and degrading treatment contrary to Article 3 ECHR. Rebecca and Georgia were instructed by Christos Georgiou at CG Law. Louisa Collins acted for the Respondent Judicial Authority.
Having rejected challenges pursuant to s2,s10 and Article 8, Mr Justice Johnson held that an assurance previously provided by Cyprus was inadequate to meet the risks. He held that a guarantee of:
The 'bare minimum' of 3m2 personal space 'taken together with the wider problems with the regime, means that there is now a real risk of the appellants facing inhuman or degrading treatment'.
The Cypriot authorities have been afforded 6-weeks to provide supplementary information as to the conditions in which the appellants will be held (particularly as to in-cell sanitation with a degree of privacy, cell ventilation and natural light, and the out of cell regime.) Absent satisfactory information the appeal will be allowed.
Read the full judgment here: Costappis v Nicosia District Court, Republic of Cyprus [2025] EWHC 785 (Admin) (02 April 2025).
Rebecca Hill has nearly two-decades’ experience before all levels of Court and is regularly instructed to appear against King’s Counsel. She has particular expertise in cross-border financial crime, requests with a political dimension (including abuse or manipulation by the State), and transnational criminality such as trafficking of people. Rebecca is ranked as a Band 1 and Tier 1 barrister in Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500.
Georgia Beatty specialises in extradition law. She is recognised as a Rising Star, in the Legal 500 in international crime & extradition, she is also recognised as a leading junior in Chambers and Partners for her work in extradition. Her extradition practice includes both Part 1 and Part 2 matters and involves a wide range of legal issues arising under the Extradition Act 2003 and the European Convention on Human Rights.
Louisa Collins is a barrister specialising in extradition, international crime and human rights law. Louisa has been ranked in Chambers and Partners since 2017 and is recognised as a Band 1 leader in the field of extradition. Louisa is also ranked in the Legal 500 for her work in international crime and extradition. Louisa is recognised for her hard work ethic, her ability to handle complex and sensitive cases and also her approachability.
