A tense session unfolded Monday in the Cypriot Parliament’s Human Rights Committee as lawmakers clashed over the controversial law regulating demonstrations and public gatherings, in the aftermath of violent incidents during last week’s protest outside the Foreign Ministry and Presidential Palace. The debate, which was officially convened to review an OSCE legal opinion on the law, quickly escalated into political confrontation over civil rights, police conduct, and Cyprus’s international commitments.

The law, passed in July 2024, was meant to codify the right to peaceful assembly but has since faced strong backlash from opposition parties and human rights advocates who argue it curtails democratic freedoms. The President of the Committee, AKEL MP Irini Charalambidou, revealed that she had sought the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) for an official legal assessment, which arrived in September in the form of a 32-page report. According to Charalambidou, the OSCE found several provisions incompatible with international standards, citing vague terms, excessive responsibilities placed on organizers, lack of accountability mechanisms for police interventions, and disproportionate penalties.

Charalambidou announced that the OSCE team will visit Cyprus to discuss the findings in Parliament, stressing that “our goal is to ensure compatibility with human rights conventions.” She added that she has instructed parliamentary legal officers to prepare amendments aligning the legislation with OSCE recommendations.

However, the discussion quickly derailed into heated exchanges following remarks from AKEL MP Giorgos Koukoumas, who accused the government and police of using “the Gaza flotilla protest as a dress rehearsal for future crackdowns on demonstrations.” Koukoumas, who attended the October 2 protest, claimed that police statements about road closures were “based on a lie,” asserting that demonstrators never blocked traffic. “This was a general rehearsal for how protests will be handled from now on — a service to Netanyahu,” he said, sparking outrage among government and DISY MPs.

Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis interrupted, accusing the opposition of politicizing the debate and taking the discussion “completely off-topic.” “I did not come here to listen to opposition rhetoric,” he said, later questioning whether “we have entered full pre-election mode.” Hartsiotis insisted that the law “enshrines, not restricts, the right to assemble,” adding that “there is no article containing the word ‘prohibit.’” He maintained that police may only recommend logistical changes to demonstrations, not ban them.

DISY MP Onoufrios Koullas echoed the Minister’s stance, asserting Cyprus’s sovereignty: “We are a sovereign state. We will not act under anyone’s directives. We will examine the OSCE recommendations but will stand by our own convictions — and Israel can hear this too.”

Opposition MPs countered that the government’s interpretation distorts both the law’s intent and international principles. VOLT MP Alexandra Attalidou described the legislation as “a serious blow to democratic rights,” saying it “introduces vague restrictions, criminalizes protest, and violates Cyprus’s international obligations.” She confirmed she had already alerted the European Commission and Commissioner for Justice about the law, awaiting their response.

Police Deputy Chief Panikos Stavrou defended law enforcement’s actions during the protest, stating that officers only used “a degree of proportional force” after protesters ignored requests to move onto the pavement. “It is the first time we have a clear legal framework giving guidance to our members,” he added, welcoming possible amendments but rejecting claims of misconduct.

Tensions peaked when DIKO MP Christos Senekkis accused Koukoumas of “insulting the intelligence of the committee’s guests,” while exchanges between Charalambidou and DISY MP Fotini Tsiridou turned confrontational over whether the Human Rights Committee had jurisdiction to review the law instead of the Legal Affairs Committee.

Despite the political bickering, Charalambidou reiterated her intention to proceed constructively: “The Ministry of Justice has shown willingness to introduce changes. We will work to make sure Cyprus respects the highest human rights standards — especially as we seek the OSCE chairmanship in 2027.”

The Ministry of Justice said it will review specific OSCE recommendations — including clearer definitions of “spontaneous” and “urgent” gatherings, limits on police interference, and safeguards against disproportionate restrictions — but rejected calls from AKEL to repeal the law entirely.

The parliamentary debate is expected to continue once the OSCE delegation visits Nicosia later this year, with both sides preparing to defend their interpretations of what it means to “peacefully assemble” in a democracy.