CyprusLaw 91(I)/2014 as Amended by Law 59(I)/2025, Child Sexual Abuse Material Including Realistic Images (Articles 2 and 8)
Law 91(I)/2014 as amended by Law 59(I)/2025 arts. 2 and 8 (Ο περί της Πρόληψης και της Καταπολέμησης της Σεξουαλικής Κακοποίησης, της Σεξουαλικής Εκμετάλλευσης Παιδιών και της Απεικόνισης Υλικού Σεξουαλικής Κακοποίησης Παιδιών Νόμος του 2014)
In force since .
An AI prohibited practices rule binding public and private bodies.
As of .
What it requires
- Do not produce child sexual abuse material, which Article 2 defines to include a realistic image, reproduction or representation of a child in a sexual act, and material showing a child, or a person who appears to be a child, in a real or simulated sexual act (Article 8(5)).
- Do not distribute, disseminate, transmit, offer, provide or make available such material, and do not give information on how to obtain it (Article 8(3) and (4)).
- Do not acquire or possess such material, or knowingly gain access to it through information and communications technology (Article 8(1) and (2)).
If you get it wrong
Criminal exposureYes
Criminal exposure note
Acquiring, possessing or knowingly accessing the material (Article 8(1) and (2)): a felony, imprisonment of up to 10 years. Distributing, disseminating, transmitting, offering, providing or making it available, or giving information on how to obtain it (Article 8(3) and (4)): a felony, up to 15 years. Producing it (Article 8(5)): a felony, up to 20 years. Where the child shown is under 13 (Article 8(6)): imprisonment for life.
What this law does
Law 59(I)/2025 amended the Law of 2014 to replace the term child pornography with child sexual abuse material in its titles and offences. The preamble to Law 59(I)/2025 gives the rapid development of artificial intelligence, which has led to the production of child sexual abuse material through artificial intelligence applications and tools, as a reason for the amendment.
Article 2 defines child sexual abuse material as material produced by any means and medium, including material showing a child in a real or simulated sexual act, material showing a person who appears to be a child in such an act, and realistic images, reproductions or representations of a child in a sexual act. Article 8(5) makes it a felony to produce child sexual abuse material, punishable by imprisonment of up to 20 years.
Article 8(3) and (4) make it a felony, punishable by imprisonment of up to 15 years, to distribute, disseminate, transmit, offer, provide or make available such material, or to give information on how to obtain it. Article 8(1) and (2) make it a felony, punishable by imprisonment of up to 10 years, to acquire or possess such material, or to knowingly gain access to it through information and communications technology.
Article 8(6) provides imprisonment for life where the child shown in the material is under 13. Law 59(I)/2025 was published in the Official Gazette on . Under article 7 of the Interpretation Law, a Law that provides no other day comes into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
When LexLint raises it
When your app profile says your app generates content with AI.