No prosecutions in MP spat-AG

No criminal charges will be pursued in connection with an indecent assault complaint lodged by a female MP against a colleague — who allegedly tried to take an up-skirt photo of her — because there was not enough evidence to substantiate such an offense, Attorney-general Costas Clerides has ruled.

Clerides said the offense could not be adequately substantiated as the MP in question, ruling DISY’s Andreas Kyprianou, appeared to attempt to take a photo of AKEL’s Irene Charalambidou from a distance, with no contact, or other circumstances that created fear of violence or an indecent act.

The incident took place after Charalambidou reportedly took a photo using her mobile of Kyprianou, and DIKO colleague Fytos Constantinou, lighting cigarettes in a closed space.

Clerides said the only criminal offenses that could be adequately substantiated were swearing – against both Kyprianou and Charalambidou — and smoking in a public area, against Kyprianou and Constantinou.

The attorney-general said under the circumstances, it would not be in the public interest if he sought the MPs’ immunity lifted in the Supreme Court, taking the time of the full plenum of 13 judges, “for lesser offenses that are the result of frivolous behaviour that has already been publically criticised.”

“Involvement of the courts by prosecuting this behaviour would only be a waste of time and expenses,” he said.

But Clerides instructed police to issue the two MPs with fines for smoking in a public area.

The incident took place in June after a meeting of a parliamentary committee.

Kyprianou reportedly tried to take an up-skirt photo of Charalambidou after she pointed her mobile phone camera at him, in a gesture indicating she would take a photo of him lighting up a cigarette before he had left the room, in violation of the law.

Charalambidou had filed a complaint for indecent assault while Kyprianou also went to the police,  saying she insulted him first after he had asked her to erase the photos she had taken of him smoking, an action he acknowledged was wrong.

AKEL general secretary Andros Kyprianou disagreed with the decision. “The behaviour of Mr Kyprianou towards Ms Charalambidou was absolutely unacceptable I would say and is an insult to parliament when it’s members behave in this way and use such vocabulary,” he said.

“If MPs behave this way and they should be the ‘creme de la crème’ of Cypriot society then I don’t how how average people should behave. This is how we create fanaticism and disrespect towards institutions and people that represent them. What Ms Charalambidou said I believe cannot be compared with what Mr Kyprianou said… at all… no comparison at all”

“He didn’t just use swear swords. He resorted to threats as well. I repeat.. threats that are shameful to parliament itself”