Cyprus Attorney General George Savvides said telephone surveillance is one of the key tools in the fight against organized crime and terrorism. According to him, the state needs a practical and feasible surveillance system, which is already used in all other countries.
Savvides stressed that the proposed package of bills contains guarantees for the protection of human rights. At the same time, illegal surveillance is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. To monitor compliance with the procedures, it is planned to create a special committee of three people. He also noted that any conviction based on surveillance data must be confirmed by a court order.
Police Chief Temistoklis Arnautis called surveillance an important tool in the fight against serious and organized crime. According to him, such methods make it possible to obtain evidence that can be used in court.
The Commissioner for the Protection of Personal Data Maria Christofidou recalled that the secrecy of communications is a fundamental right. She stressed that any intervention should take place only in compliance with the principles of necessity, proportionality and legality, as well as with reliable institutional guarantees.
The representative of the telecommunications company CYTA said that the new system will be able to work efficiently subject to clear and enforceable rules, as well as a clear distribution of responsibilities. At the same time, telecom operators asked the state to bear the costs of maintaining the necessary equipment.
Earlier, the Cabinet of Ministers approved two more bills related to the implementation of these measures. They are planned to be discussed in detail at an emergency meeting of the parliamentary committee, after which the documents can be put to a vote in parliament.
As the chairman of the committee Nikos Tornaritis noted, Cyprus lags far behind other EU countries in adopting laws on surveillance. Amendments to the Constitution require the support of at least 38 deputies. According to him, it is important to realize the urgency of the situation, since in all other EU countries such tools are already used by security forces.
Source: philenews
https://cyprusbutterfly.com.cy/news/proslushka-na-kipre-vlasti-xotyat-dat-silovikam-novyie-polnomochiya
