Cyprus Court Grants Ex Parte Interim Injunctive Relief to Prevent Irreversible Consequences Pending Inter Partes Hearing

In a decision dated 16 September 2025, the District Court of Nicosia granted ex parte interim injunctive relief pending an inter partes hearing, restraining specific actions from being taken in connection with an imminent extraordinary decision-making process within an organised association.

The application arose out of an internal dispute concerning the governance of a sporting organisation and the position of one of its long-standing members. Following a meeting of the organisation’s governing body, a decision was taken to convene an Extraordinary General Meeting with the stated purpose of considering measures that would have had immediate and far-reaching consequences for the affected member, including its continued participation in the organisation and related activities.

The applicant sought urgent interim protection on the basis that the proposed meeting was scheduled to take place within a matter of days and that, if the contemplated decisions were implemented, they would give rise to factual and legal consequences that could not realistically be reversed at a later stage. It was argued that any subsequent judicial determination would risk being rendered ineffective if interim relief were not granted before the meeting took place.

The application was supported by affidavit evidence setting out the relevant factual background, the procedural steps that had led to the convening of the extraordinary meeting, and the basis upon which interim relief was said to be necessary. The Court considered the application within the framework of the established principles governing the grant of interim injunctive relief.

In granting the interim order, the Court was satisfied that the application disclosed a serious issue to be tried and that there was a real risk of irreparable harm if interim protection were refused. The relief granted was carefully framed so as to preserve the status quo pending the determination of the dispute on an inter partes basis, without prejudging the merits of the underlying issues.

The Court expressly fixed an inter partes hearing at which all parties will have the opportunity to be heard and provided that the interim order would remain subject to confirmation, variation or discharge following full argument. The applicant was also directed to proceed with the filing of substantive proceedings within a specified timeframe.

The interim order was granted on a without-notice basis due to the urgency of the circumstances. The decision illustrates the Court’s willingness, where appropriate, to intervene at an early stage in order to prevent irreversible outcomes, while maintaining procedural fairness and safeguarding the respondents’ right to be heard at the earliest opportunity.