in-cyprus 15 February 2024
The proposal to amend the penal code to require the audio and visual recording of material collected during police investigations is expected to be brought to a vote soon, based on a proposal that has been under discussion for four years in the Legal Affairs Committee of the Parliament.
The proposal was submitted by AKEL, DIKO, and Member of Parliament Kostis Efstathiou.
As stated by AKEL Member of Parliament Aristos Damianou after the committee session, the legislative proposal has been under discussion for four years, not due to the responsibility of the Parliament and the Parliamentary Committee.
He noted that drawing from international experience in protecting human rights, they propose that the Police be obliged to audio and visually record material collected during investigations, depositions, examinations, interrogations, or testimonies. He added that this practice, which is uniformly applied in advanced states, is viewed with reservations in Cyprus.
He mentioned that the issue has been repeatedly discussed with the relevant ministries of Justice, Finance, and the Police. He expressed the opinion that when it comes to modernizing the state and its procedures, the matter should not be approached with an “economistic” mindset, reservations, or postponement.
He mentioned that a final deadline was given to the competent authorities to position themselves, and the Committee’s intention is to bring the proposal to a vote, providing a transitional period for the Police to comply by securing the necessary equipment.
Asked about the reservations, he mentioned that they concern concerns about the unknown and possible side effects, as well as the fact that not all police stations have the necessary infrastructure.
