Cyprus-Forum.com

[Sotos]

Freedom of speech is not unlimited in any country.

[B25]

Article 19 of the Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus provides the right to freedom of speech and expression in any form. This right includes freedom to hold opinions and receive and impart information and ideas without interference by any public authority and regardless of frontiers.

The World Press Freedom Index 2010 places Cyprus 45th in its record - down 20 places from last year. (The occupied areas of the island are placed 61st).


A quote taken from the Cyprus Mail today discussing the website case brought by the state , front page story expected on Tuesday about the convictions and the sentences handed down.

"Amazingly the AG sees this as "The Main Event", not the illegal re-selling of a house, not the then, illegal occupation of that house, not the assault of Conor O'Dwyer when gathering evidence for the court cases to follow, no, the main event is that Conor wanted to tell people about it, to gather information clearly in the public interest.

Does the AG and then the government actually believe that they can now censor the internet, they have obviously never heard the expression, "When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging".

The AG has no credibility whatsoever and he should really now I think, reconsider his position.................laughing stock does not even come close."

Sure, and arn't you lucky you have this in Cyprus!

But, freedom of speech does not extend to libel and defaming persons, companys nor government.

By your logic, we can all assasinate a persons character, a companys reputation or a countrys good name without fear or repaisal.

There is a limit and O'Dwer crossed it. If you want justice served, you should also want him to get what he has coming.

Cheers

[Milo]

The Right to Free Speech or the claim that it was in the public interest for the material to be published, is a civil matter and nothing to do with the State or the Attorney General.

Slander or Libellous remarks are a civil matter and should not be the subject of a criminal charge or even a police investigation.

As for the Freedom of Speech that is a right held under the Human Rights – expression Article 10 provides the right to freedom of expression, subject to certain restrictions that are “in accordance with law” and “necessary in a democratic society”. This right includes the freedom to hold opinions, and to receive and impart information and ideas”.

Cyprus is a signatory to the Human Rights Act, and is in danger of becoming a laughing stock.

[Get Real!]

[b]Article 19 of the Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus provides the right to freedom of speech and expression in any form.

Freedom of speech does not get in the way of defamation laws pertaining to the Internet, as O'Dwyer will soon find out. When you attack the state you provoke the state so expect no mercy and once convicted a European arrest warrant should flush out the little weasel from wherever in Europe he may be hiding.

[Get Real!]

Slander or Libellous remarks are a civil matter and should not be the subject of a criminal charge or even a police investigation.

Incorrect! Some countries have both civil and criminal defamation laws.

Criminal Defamation Fact Sheet

Of the 168 countries reviewed, 158 had criminal defamation laws of some sort, whilst only 10 countries had only civil defamation laws.
At least 146 people are being imprisoned globally. This can be broken down regionally as follows:

• Africa 41
• Americas 8
• Asia and Oceania 35
• Europe and Central Asia 22
• Middle East and North Africa 40

http://www.article19.org/advocacy/defam ... rview.html

Luckily for O'Dwyer, Cyprus appears to be (according to this site) one of the few European countries that don’t have Criminal Defamation laws…

Cyprus Civil: no limit; average: 10,000 - 30,000 CYP (US$23,360 -
US$70,100).

http://www.article19.org/advocacy/defam ... /fines.pdf

[Get Real!]

Cyprus Civil: no limit; average: 10,000 - 30,000 CYP (US$23,360 - US$70,100).

I expect the RoC to make an example of this clown and seeing that there’s no limit to the pecuniary award he is as good as ruined!

And let that be a lesson to any other person out there, especially from the expat community who have a bad habit of sticking their nose where it doesn’t belong, that the next idiot who sees fit to politicize a commercial dispute will have well and truly screwed themselves homeless!

Now that the path has been laid out...

[Gasman]

Nothing you've predicted so far about this case has come to pass GR.

Does make one wonder just how accurate your 'predictions' about the whole future of Cyprus are?

This developer is not the only one in deep doo doo right now. Slowly but surely some of them are getting (a fraction) of what they deserve dished out to them.

I'd take a bet that more people outside Cyprus are aware now of the property scams and the title deed disgrace than are aware of the situation re the 'Cyprob'. There's more written about those matters too.

[Get Real!]

Nothing you've predicted so far about this case has come to pass GR.

Like what?

Does make one wonder just how accurate your 'predictions' about the whole future of Cyprus are?

Feel free to do a poll and find out!

This developer is not the only one in deep doo doo right now. Slowly but surely some of them are getting (a fraction) of what they deserve dished out to them.

I hope you don't assume that I support the corrupt developer because I hate his guts as much as I hate Connor's! They’re both garbage giving this beautiful country a bad name.

I'd take a bet that more people outside Cyprus are aware now of the property scams and the title deed disgrace than are aware of the situation re the 'Cyprob'. There's more written about those matters too.

Don't wager anything like that... you'll lose!

[Gasman]

And the actions of developers like this (and crooked lawyers) do bring shame on Cyprus.

As a well-known columnist from the Financial Mirror wrote on the 16th June 2010:

“The Conor O’Dwyer case has reached such a level of international notoriety it is difficult to see Cyprus ever living it down.”

[Gasman]

And it ain't going away. His case will be featured in an ITV 'Homes from Hell' in the summer of NEXT YEAR!