Notice: We are currently performing maintenance to improve the italaw platform. The site remains fully accessible. Thank you for your patience.

Afik and others v. Cyprus, Procedural Order No. 1, June 19, 2026

19 Jun 2026
Yaacov Afik, Michael Mistriel Aykout and Shimon Mistriel Aykout v. Republic of Cyprus, ICSID Case No. ARB/25/45
View case details
Procedural Order No. 1
Document Details:
LISTED PARTICIPANTS
Procedural Order No. 1
Participants listed are for this document only and may not include all participants involved in the entire case. Always consult the original documents.
Claimant appointee
Respondent appointee
Tribunal/Panel chair
David Unterhalter
Arbitrator(s)
Stephan W. Schill, Attila Massimiliano Tanzi
Sole Arbitrator
ICSID Annulment Committee president
ICSID Annulment Committee members
WTO Appellate Body members
WTO Appellate Body chair
Judges
Claimant's counsel
Emma Anderson, Cong Gao, Galiya Mustafina, Lucas Bastin, Boxun Yin, Ron Berkman, Roy Berkman, Shelly Zick, Riki Levental, Roger Gherson
Claimant's law firm
Respondent's counsel
Costantinos Salonidis, Christina Hioureas, Linos-Alexandros Sicilianos, George Savvides, Mary-Ann Stavrinides, Maria Pilikou
Respondent's law firm
Other counsel
Claimant's expert
Claimant's expert firm
Respondent's expert
Respondent's expert firm
Claimant's witness
Respondent's witness
Other witnesses
Tribunal secretary
Leah W. Njoroge
Tribunal assistant
Vanina Bauza
Third-party funder
Entities
Banco Chambers, Berkman & Co., Cyprus, Duxton Hill Chambers London, Essex Court Chambers, Foley Hoag, Gherson Solicitors, Law Office of the Republic of Cyprus
Country
Print reporter
Document Summary
Procedural Order No. 1
This summary note is machine-generated. Always consult the original materials.

Procedural Posture and Background

This document is Procedural Order No. 1 issued by the arbitral tribunal in the international investment arbitration between Yaacov Afik, Michael Mistriel Aykout, and Shimon Mistriel Aykout, and the Republic of Cyprus (ICSID Case No. ARB/25/45). Following the first session held via video conference on May 7, 2026, the Tribunal issued this order to establish the procedural framework governing the arbitration pursuant to ICSID Arbitration Rules 27 and 29.

Procedural Framework and Key Directives

The Tribunal confirmed its proper constitution and established that the proceedings will be conducted under the ICSID Arbitration Rules in force as of July 1, 2022. Paris, France, was designated as the place of the proceeding, with English established as the procedural language. The order delineates comprehensive protocols for the routing of communications, the submission of pleadings, and the handling of documentary evidence. Document production is to be guided by the IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration (2010), utilizing Stern Schedules for requests and objections.

Furthermore, the Tribunal set forth detailed rules regarding the submission of witness statements and expert reports, as well as the procedures for their examination at the hearing. Notably, the order explicitly prohibits the use of artificial intelligence in the Tribunal’s decision-making process and the drafting of the Award.

Operative Directions

The Tribunal directed the parties to adhere to the procedural calendar set out in Annex B, which provides two alternative timetables (Timetable A and Timetable B) contingent upon whether the Respondent elects to file a request for the bifurcation of preliminary objections. The parties were further ordered to comply with the strict electronic file naming guidelines detailed in Annex A.