In Nicosia, suspect in the Labor Ministry system breach case refused to provide the laptop password

The citizen of Turkmenistan, Z.B., who was detained on charges of unlawfully obtaining personal data, appeared before the court again in Nicosia. Lefkoşa Judicial Administration officer Ali Yeşidal said that in April 2026, using his laptop, the suspect hacked the administrator account and the data of an employee of the TRNC Ministry of Labor, gaining unauthorized access to the ministry’s website. On June 22, 2026, the man turned himself in to the police, after which he was taken into custody under a court warrant.

During a search at the detainee’s place of residence, a laptop as well as an iPhone 11 mobile phone were seized. Both devices were sent to the Data Verification Department for examination. The police officer noted that the suspect refused to provide investigators with the password for his computer, which may contain key evidence. It also emerged that Z.B. is involved in a 2025 case concerning the forging of bank orders and theft of personal data; he has student status, but did not attend classes in the 2025–2026 academic year.

The suspect’s lawyer, during the hearing, referred to earlier public statements by the authorities that there had been no leak of information from the Ministry of Labor, and on that basis denied that his client had stolen data. In response, the prosecution stressed that the employees’ logins and passwords themselves, which the defendant hacked in order to access the system, are legally personal data. By decision of Judge Şevket Gazi, Z.B.’s detention was extended by another 3 days to ensure the security of the ongoing investigation.