A total of 18,409 cases of violence against women and domestic violence were reported from 2021 till June 2026, chief of police Themistos Arnaoutis said on Monday.

He was addressing the House human rights committee, pointing out that these complaints led to 3,674 arrests, 2,858 restriction orders and 373 victim protection orders.

The committee met to discuss the implementation through national law of the Istanbul Convention to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence, following the recent femicides on the island.

Justice Minister Constantinos Fitiris pointed out that the authorities should respond immediately on receiving a complaint.

Fitiris said that earlier on Monday he himself had received a message on Messenger from an unknown woman who said she was in danger from her ex-husband, who was threatening her.

“I immediately passed it on to the responsible police office,” Fitiris said.

The minister said emphasis would be given on acting immediately to complaints, by activating a special force, which will investigate and prevent any danger.

This, he said, was “very important”.

Regarding armed policemen, Fitiris said the aim was to amend the law so that psychometric tests could be carried out “the soonest possible because we consider this to be very serious”.

The issue came to the forefront last week when a police officer went to work, took his service gun, met his wife and shot and injured her critically, before committing suicide.

A couple of days earlier, a 38-year-old woman was allegedly stabbed by her former husband and was taken to hospital. The woman’s 58-year-old mother was also allegedly attacked in the same incident.

The House human rights committee will meet again at the end of August or in early September to reassess the situation.