The Attorney General has criticised police for showing “tolerance” towards “unacceptable events” during a highway blockade by hunters in March, as parliamentary tensions continue over President Nikos Christodoulides’s handling of the incident.
The Attorney General stated there was “no scope for further criminal investigation or prosecution” against protesters, citing police management of the event and the fact that “police themselves blocked traffic” on the affected section of highway.
“Any disciplinary procedure against members of the police does not fall within the jurisdiction of the Attorney General,” the statement added, responding to criticism over the handling of the March 23 protest by the United Cypriot Hunters Party.
The statement follows a contentious parliamentary Legal Affairs Committee session on Wednesday where lawmakers criticised President Christodoulides for his management of the protest.
During the committee meeting, Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis reported that investigations ordered on March 25 found no disciplinary or criminal liabilities, noting the Attorney General had instructed that investigations into criminal offences be discontinued.
AKEL MP Aristos Damianou claimed Christodoulides directly contacted the leader of the hunters’ movement, Nikos Prodromou, and subsequently assigned handling of the matter to the Interior Ministry rather than the Justice Ministry.
Another AKEL MP, Andreas Pasiourtides, focused on the fact that police knew three days before the event that a call from Christodoulides to the hunters’ leader would have prevented the highway blockade.
“It is clear that the reason no one has responsibility is because whatever happened was done with the cover of the President of the Republic. Not only did the President know, not only did he know how to prevent it, but he did it in front of the cameras to play his part,” Pasiourtides said.
Police Chief Themistos Arnaoutis presented a detailed report explaining why no arrests were made, stating no legislation was violated and there was cooperation between the hunters’ movement leader and police. The highway closure between 11:44 and 14:05 included 30 minutes for the actual event and 45 minutes each for arrival and departure of 700 vehicles and 2,000 people, according to Arnaoutis.
The committee also discussed proposed legislation aimed at regulating public gatherings and preventing protesters from concealing their faces, with Commissioner for Administration Maria Stylianou Lottides expressing constitutional concerns about provisions criminalizing face covering at demonstrations.
