Filenews 21 July 2021 - by Michalis Hatzivasilis
After an episodic process that lasted six hours, a court in Nicosia finally detained seven people eight days, in connection with the demonstration outside the Presidential palace and also for the incidents in the DIAS complex.
Two of those arrested refused from the time of their arrest the day before yesterday to undergo a rapid test as well as the lawyer of one, resulting in a Court, Protocol and Police seeking a solution to the problem. While the seven suspects were scheduled to appear in court at 11am, it was only at 3.30pm that it became possible and was completed after 5pm When the Police informed the Court of the two who did not have a negative rapid test, they began contacting the Supreme Court who issue the relevant regulations on how the Courts operate. Eventually after hours it was decided that the process of detaining the seven suspects would take place in absentia of the two and without the presence of a lawyer who also refused to undergo an examination for the virus.
Finally, after hearing from the investigating magistrate in the case, the Court held that there was evidence that the seven suspects would be detained for eight days. It is noted that four of them were arrested as instigators, i.e. that they called on the demonstrators to violate the decrees on infectious cleansing. One of the accused was also caught for the incidents at the DIAS complex.
The well-known epidemiologist Elpidoforos Sotiriadis, who was at last Sunday's event outside the Presidential Palace, was also arrested as an instigator. The doctor was among the organizers of the protest that took place in the wake of the Government's measures to prevent the pandemic, and often expressed disagreement with the measures, arguing that the risk of coronavirus is slightly greater than that of influenza.
Meanwhile, yesterday the police were able to identify four other persons and against two issued relevant arrest warrants, while it released the photos of seven other people allegedly involved in the incidents for public identification. At the same time, at the Nicosia TD, the evaluation of the witness material before the investigation team continues, in order to identify other persons who participated in them.
Communications Branch officer Eleni Konstantinou yesterday called on the public to assist the work of the Police and if they know anything about the incidents or the persons depicted to contact the Citizen's Contact Line at 1460 by name, or anonymous or via Social Media so such information can be evaluated" Regarding how the event that preceded the presidential palace was handled, Ms. Konstantinou said the authorities had prepared for the gathering of people and had issued business orders. "Business orders," she said, "issued on the intelligence base before us, were talking about a peaceful protest involving 500-1,000 people. Then we saw that the volume was increasing and it reached five to six thousand. Staff were called there to reinforce the police and when the event began to turn into a nuisance, the anti-protest vehicle "Ayantas" went to the scene. There at the sight of the vehicle, the protesters started fleeing and moving in different directions," she said.
According to Ms. Konstantinou, the authorities were called to confront three fronts of demonstrators leaving the Presidential Palace, with the largest mass of 1,500-2,000 people heading towards the intersection lights Griva Digeni and Demosthenes Severis. "Another portion of citizens," she added, were heading for Prodromos Avenue and The Metochi of Kykkos. At that moment when we saw the volume of protesters increasing, we also started to change the action plans. We were also forced to stay at the Presidential Palace for the protection and security of the site, while the force also monitored the movements of the mob that had dispersed." She pointed out that the incidents are due to a small proportion of citizens and that peaceful protest is an acquis and a constitutional right of citizens.
Yesterday, Justice Minister Steffi Dragon said those who carried out the incidents would be held accountable.
Lawyers accuse police of violence
A complaint to the Independent Police Complaints and Complaints Authority, the Attorney General, the Commissioner for Administration, the Cyprus Bar Association, etc. was made by three lawyers against police officers.
As they complained to "F", while on Sunday night they went to the offices of the Nicosia FC to see their clients detained in connection with the incidents, at one point, the police officers handcuffed a lawyer who was persistently asking to know why his client was arrested. He was asked to leave the office, did not do so and was arrested for various offences, illegal entry, causing concern, resisting arrest, etc.
In the sight of a lawyer in handcuffs a colleague who was present also reacted. She was asked to leave the office, did not do so, so the policeman pushed her. She protested and because she grabbed his hand to get it off her wrist, he told her she was under arrest. A third lawyer who recorded what was happening with her cell phone was also arrested for a personal data breach. "F" contacted the Police about these complaints where an officer confirmed the incident with one lawyer arrested, but not that two others were arrested. He also claimed that no lawyer was banned from being with his client.
