Four people, including the former president of the Cyprus Parliament, have been charged with corruption over a cash-for-passports scandal.
The four are due to stand trial in the capital, Nicosia, on 12 September after the island’s attorney general filed five counts of conspiracy to defraud the state and untoward influence over public officials on Thursday.
Cyprus authorities said the charges were related both to Al Jazeera’s investigation, and the findings of a 2021 board of inquiry prompted by the exposé.
‘Golden passport’
Last November, Cyprus dropped its so-called “golden passport” scheme after Al Jazeera television aired a documentary showing reporters posing as fixers for a Chinese businessman seeking a Cypriot passport despite having a criminal record.
