Filenews 22 September 2023 - by Despina Psilliou
Severe punishment for those who participate in demonstrations or gatherings, covering their faces and obstructing their identification, seeks to impose a bill proposal by DISY MPs Nikos Tornaritis, Fotini Tsiridou and Nikos Georgiou.
If convicted, these masked men could face up to two years in prison and/or a fine of up to €4,000.
As stated in the draft law, "it has been observed that persons who exploit public demonstrations and/or gatherings, cover up or alter their physical characteristics in any way and hide behind the anonymous coverage offered by this cover, commit serial criminal offences."
They are acting against the right to peaceful assembly, which is "undermined and hindered by the violence of these persons."
Therefore, the draft law concludes: "A person who participates in a demonstration or assembly and, for the purpose of obstructing the verification of his identity, wilfully covers or alters his person in any way or with the use of any objects, without reasonable cause, under circumstances that give rise to reasonable suspicion of the commission of any offence by him, is guilty of an offence and, if convicted, is liable to imprisonment not exceeding two years and/or to a fine not exceeding €4,000".
The ultimate aim of the draft law is to harmonize with the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights, according to which the state has the obligation to protect the smooth conduct of its citizens' demonstrations from troublemakers who attempt to obstruct it and "every citizen must be able to demonstrate without fear of being a victim of physical or other violence by other demonstrators".
In that regard, it concludes, the draft law "aims to take preventive security measures to ensure a peaceful course and, more generally, the unhindered exercise of the rights guaranteed by the Constitution, as well as to maintain public security and order".
