by laptachap » Fri Oct 03, 2008 1:44 pm
following the arrests of youth-group members at the October 1 parade for distributing political leaflets, and failing to produce identification when confronted by the police.
“It was not within the rights of the police to arrest these individual,” said Nicolaou, “regardless of the content of the leaflets.”
He added that the arrest of the youths was a blatant infringement of freedom of speech and civil liberties.
The candid comments came after state and police closed ranks to defend the detention for three hours on Wednesday of 16 young people handing out flyers opposing the government’s stance on the Cyprus problem.
He denied accusations that the roc was a police state.
European Party deputy Riccos Erotokritou, lawyer for the group, said the matter would be settled in court. He was backed by other lawmakers who said the police action was unacceptable.
pots calling kettles black springs to mind