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Called to the Bar Association (CY), 2023

 

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Professional Experience​

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Konstantina Zivla is a Cyprus-qualified criminal lawyer with an international practice focused on INTERPOL Red Notice removals, extradition, and cross-border criminal defence. She has represented clients before INTERPOL’s Commission for the Control of Files (CCF), Europol, and data processors such as LexisNexis and Refinitiv, achieving the deletion of unlawful records and rehabilitation of client reputations.

 

As Senior Associate at the CIL, she led cases involving politically motivated prosecutions, GDPR-based deletion requests, and challenges to abusive extradition proceedings. She also provided strategic advice on international police cooperation frameworks, Schengen Information System (SIS) alerts, and INTERPOL misuse, ensuring compliance with human rights standards while safeguarding client freedoms. With experience in the European Convention on Human Rights, Konstantina submitted applications to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), advocating for her clients’ rights.

 

Her litigation expertise extends to the European Convention on Human Rights, where she has submitted applications to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) to protect her clients from violations of their fundamental rights.

 

Beyond litigation, Konstantina engages actively in public discourse and academic debate. As a regular columnist for Fileleftheros (Cyprus) and Estia (Greece), she writes on corruption, judicial accountability, and transnational policing. She also contributes to the International Law Enforcement Reporter (USA), addressing issues of INTERPOL misuse and cross-border policing.

 

She is equally committed to legal education and professional training. Currently, she teaches probationary police officers at the University of Cyprus, delivering the course “Introduction to Local and International Policing”. The course integrates historical, sociological, and legal perspectives on policing, with emphasis on accountability, international cooperation, and the balance between security and rights.

 

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Areas of Practice

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  • INTERPOL Defence: Applications before the CCF to secure the deletion of unlawful or politically motivated Red Notices and Diffusions.

 

  • Data Removal: Requests to remove outdated or inaccurate entries from private databases such as LexisNexis and World-Check (LSEG).

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  • Human Rights Litigation: Applications before the ECtHR in cases of wrongful detention, extradition, and disproportionate restrictions on liberty.

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  • Police Accountability: Advise in cases of misconduct, corruption, and abuse of power, promoting legality, proportionality, and transparency.

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  • Cross-Border Law Enforcement Cooperation: Guidance on mutual legal assistance, extradition treaties, and Schengen alerts.

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  • Military and Security Law: Analysis of the intersection between armed forces, policing, and the rule of law, including civilian protection under security regimes.

 

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Education

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  • Bachelor of Law (LLB), University of Cyprus (2016-2020) – Distinction

  • LLM in Criminal Justice, Queen Mary University of London (2021-2022) - Distinction

 

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Professional Memberships

 

  • Cyprus Bar Association (admitted 2023).

  • European Criminal Bar Association (ECBA).

  • International Bar Association (IBA).

  • Defence and Extradition Lawyers’ Forum (DELF).

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Courses and Continuing Education

 

  • International Legal Practice (2025-26) – King’s College London in the UK, and IE University School of Law in Spain, in collaboration with the International Bar Association, 5-month course enhancing skills for international and cross-border practice.

  • International Human Rights Law (2025) – University of Florida, 3-month course for lawyers, organised by the International Bar Association (scholarship awardee).

  • London School of Business and Administration – Professional Certificate in Military Law and Ethics (2025).

  • Council of Europe – International Cooperation on Criminal Matters (11-hour course, 2024).

  • European Institute of Management and Finance (EIMF) – Anti-Money Laundering (AML) for Legal Professionals and DNFBPs (4-hour course, 2024).

  • Academy of European Law (ERA) – Introduction to EU Anti-Money Laundering (3-hour course, 2024).

  • Council of Europe – Pre-trial Investigation and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) (7-hour course, 2023).

  • Harvard University – Bioethics: The Law, Medicine, and Ethics of Reproductive Technologies and Genetics (5-week course taught by Prof. I. Glenn Cohen, 2023).

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Languages

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Greek (Mother Language)

English (Fluent)

Spanish (Beginner)

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Public Engagement

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Konstantina’s expertise has been featured in international conferences on extradition, INTERPOL reform, and unrecognised states (e.g. the so-called “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”, including academic presentations in Italy and Belgium. She also works closely with NGOs in Cyprus on prisoners’ rights and human rights advocacy.

 

Konstantina’s dual role as practitioner and researcher allows her to bridge academic theory with legal practice, providing both courtroom defence and critical scholarship on evolving challenges in transnational criminal justice.

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