The projection of racist and offensive references is a vicious provocation to our people’s democratic and humanitarian principles and feelings

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 12th March 2016, Nicosia

 

The racist and offensive references of the Greek artist Notis Sfakianakis about Syrian refugees and their children, as they themselves have already been projected on social media, are a brutal provocation to our people’s democratic and humanitarian principles and feelings. At the same time as the Greek people have surpassed themselves by expressing an admirable solidarity towards the Syrian refugees, the state-owned Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation RIK chooses to present a Greek-speaking artist who with his discourse is inciting hatred and violence.

AKEL urges even at this late stage on RIK to cancel the broadcast of the programme in question, respecting inter alia Cypriot and European legislation, under which there is no question of freedom of expression towards racist discourse. Racism, by definition, is the enemy both of democracy and freedom.