Communications privacy bill
Statement of Aristos Damianou, member of the Political Bureau of the C.C. and AKEL MP
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 27th November 2015, Nicosia
From the very first moment the Bill to lift communications privacy was tabled, we assessed the dangers this would pose for the mass filing and mass surveillance of society as a whole. The amendments submitted by the Parliamentary Group of AKEL- Left-New Forces, which were adopted in their entirety during yesterday’s plenary session of the House of Representatives, set out significant safeguards, given that these amendments aim at restricting the potential abuse of this advanced but questionable in legality weapon that the prosecuting authorities have secured yesterday as a result of its approval by a narrow majority.
There weren’t and there are no excuses for the serious delays being observed in the investigation and prosecution of those involved in the banking scandal. Besides, the law enforcement authorities have already several legal weapons at their disposal to do their job. Any existent difficulties cannot constitute a pretext for a series of events which ordinary citizens and common sense consider that should already have brought some of the big bankers to justice. We note yesterday’s admission by the President of the governing DISY party Averof Neophytou himself that the criticism exercised about the delay in the investigations is not groundless.
The adoption of the amendments submitted by AKEL MPs from all parties – apart from DISY – vindicates the efforts which AKEL had been making for months and are a response to those who saw considerations in our efforts where none existed. The protection of the human rights of all citizens, including the respect of privacy and communication is for the Left an inextricable part of our political activity.
On this occasion, we issue a warning to the Minister of Justice and Anastasiades-DISY government that they should have second and wiser thoughts and that they abandon their intention to prepare a far-reaching Bill regarding interceptions and monitoring, given that such an action would face the very strong political reaction of AKEL, but as demonstrated by yesterday’s vote also the universal reaction of virtually all the political forces.
