Cyprus Justice System Confidence Blow as Police Acquitted of Video Beatings

Description:

The Cyprus judicial system took a blow in public confidence when ten police officers, accused of assaulting two students in 2005, were acquitted of all charges, despite having video evidence of the brutal beating.
 

The Nicosia court cleared the officers of all charges and said that the defendants' guilt had not been established beyond a reasonable doubt even though the film showing the beatings had been broadcast on national television networks.

 
Cyprus Attorney General Petros Clerides burst into the court room in the middle of the verdict, requesting that proceedings be halted and wanted to know why the video footage was not being accepted. However, the judge amazingly denied his request to show the video.
 

After the verdict was announced, the police officers and their families let out cries of joy.

 
However, it was a different story for one of the victims of the beatings, Yiannis Nicolaou. He later commented, "There is no justice in Cyprus, no one is safe here; there is state terrorism."

 
Dr Yiannis Papageorgiou, father of the second student Marcos, shouted out, "Banana Republic, you may rejoice in your justice system......I am disappointed, just like the majority of Cypriot society will be over the decision of this justice system".