POLICE yesterday seized two computers from the office of a blog administrator, who was questioned after a complaint that his popular local blog published content with threats against the life of a well-known journalist.
The blog administrator is also a lawyer.
According to Makarios Droushiotis, a regular columnist for Politis, who filed the complaint, the blog christofias-watch
http://christofias-watch.blogspot.com/
contains incitement to murder.
The contentious comment posted on the blog reads: “Only in Cyprus is it possible for someone like Makarios [Droushiotis] to live. Only in Cyprus is it possible for collaborators, whores and brownnosers of the conqueror (and the nobody in question is all of the above) to peddle their garbage.
“The traitors deserve fire and axe. Throw the collaborators into a pit and cover them with lime.”
There are more unflattering remarks about Droushiotis, who is lambasted for his coverage of a meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul in late February.
During the meeting with Greek Cypriot journalists, Erdogan explained his policy on the Cyprus issue. Back in Cyprus, the reporters were then accused of promoting Turkish propaganda.
Droushiotis’ complaint to police was filed in early March. Having identified the website administrator, the police’s Cyber Crimes Unit secured a court order to search the administrator’s premises yesterday.
The alleged administrator, a well-known lawyer, denies any involvement. According to the police spokesman, the person refused to answer any questions on the advice of his own lawyer.
Christos Clerides, who is representing the alleged administrator, yesterday described the case as “politically-motivated persecution.” Clerides has demanded that police immediately return to his client the two computers since they contain private and confidential data.
Police spokesman Michalis Katsounotos said investigators would be careful not to access or tamper with any data that was irrelevant to the case. They would then decide whether the case should be prosecuted.
Incitement to murder is a criminal offence.
Droushiotis says he does not know the author of the contentious remark, but holds the blog’s administrator responsible for any content posted on the website.
http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/polic ... t/20100507