Legislation on Surveillance: Removal of Court Oversight Raises Concerns, Says Simos Angelidis

Legal expert Simos Angelidis expresses concern over the attempt to remove the court's supervisory control from the surveillance bill. He believes that the independence of the judiciary is a crucial safeguard for the protection of individual rights. The bill is expected to be voted on Thursday, and reports indicate that it provides for the director of the CYPA not to require a court order to approve surveillance in certain cases. Instead, the CYPA will refer to a three-member committee, appointed by the Council of Ministers, for approval to continue surveillance. Mr. Angelidis warns that this creates a risk to human rights, as the executive branch will have full control without independent oversight. He argues that even in cases of national security, approval should come from the judiciary. Initially, it was proposed to transfer the power to the Attorney General, but this was rejected after objections. The current proposal for a committee appointed by the Council of Ministers is considered an intermediate solution that still creates problems. Mr. Angelidis emphasizes that independent judicial oversight is essential to ensure the correctness and objectivity of surveillance decisions. Similar concerns have been expressed by the Cyprus Bar Association, highlighting the importance of protecting individual rights and the independence of the judiciary.