MP says he was ‘bullied’ over photo incident

By George Psyllides

A ruling DISY MP accused by a female colleague of indecent assault after he reportedly tried to take an up-skirt photo of her claimed he was bullied through unfounded and false reports.

Andreas Kyprianou said an unfortunate, momentary, and minor incident of tension between two MPs became the focus of public opinion for over a month “at a time when the country is going through difficult times.”

The incident took place in July, after Kyprianou reportedly tried to take an up-skirt photo of AKEL MP Irene 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.

Words were exchanged and the two MPs ended up reporting each other to police.

In a written statement, Kyprianou accused Charalambidou of removing the cloak of the dynamic and aggressive deputy and attempted to portray the image of an oppressed woman who fell victim to male abuse.

“In my 53 years, and six in parliament, I have not given anyone the right to portray me the way Mrs. Charalambidou chose to do so,” he said.

Kyprianou said her accusations were unfounded over an inexistent issue, with an indecent assault complaint to police no less, when she knows well that such a thing never happened.

Kyprianou said he did not respond to the provocations, judging that the matter was institutional.

“In the meantime, to my surprise and regret, an unprecedented political bullying against me was maintained through unfounded and false (media) reports,” he said.

Non-governmental organisations tasked with protecting people from racism displayed the most racist behaviour, Kyprianou charged.

“Those who supposedly defend human rights trampled upon them in my case in the harshest way,” he added.

He suggested that the attorney-general’s decision not to pursue criminal charges in the case had left Charalambidou, and those who rushed to judge and condemn, exposed.

Attorney-general Costas Clerides said there was not enough evidence to substantiate indecent assault.

He said the only criminal offences that could be adequately substantiated were swearing – against both Kyprianou and Charalambidou — and smoking in a public area, against Kyprianou and DIKO colleague Phytos Constantinou.

The attorney-general said under the circumstances, it would not be in the public interest to seek 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.”

He did instruct police however to issue the two MPs with fines for smoking.

Charalambidou responded that the fact that Kyprianou would not be held accountable for what he did, does not give him the right to add insult to injury.

The AKEL MP said she disagreed with the AG’s decision not to prosecute.

This, she said, runs the risk of failing to prosecute many of those who exercised violence or attempted to do so.

The decision could also discourage women from reporting such acts, Charalambidou said.

“Beyond the social stigma, the tendency of self-incrimination, and confirmation of the stereotypes that want the man to be naturally aggressive, now comes the fear that in any case there won’t be prosecution.”

Charalambidou said she respected the AG’s decision but disagreed. She said the recording of the incident, which happened at the end of a House committee meeting, and the presence of so many people in the room, bear witness to what happened.

The MP said she has asked for the recording to be handed over to her because anyone who listened to it will realise under what conditions the incident had taken place.