By Anthony O. Miller
DEPUTY Marios Matsakis, who is also a forensic pathologist, said yesterday he had been asked by Attorney-general Alecos Markides to examine all those boat people claiming to have been beaten up by rapid reaction (Mmad) police while in police custody last Friday.
Matsakis’ commission is part of Markides’ widening probe into allegations of police brutality by the Mmad force, following the airing of television footage showing them savagely beating, kicking and stomping the boat people during a riot in the Larnaca detention facility on October 23.
In a related development, a six-group coalition concerned with human rights called for a “show of solidarity” at 7pm today outside the Old Famagusta Police Authority in Larnaca, where the beatings took place.
And Akel party leader Demetris Christofias yesterday called for the resignations of Minister of Justice and Public Nicos Koshis and all other officials in any way responsible for the beatings at the Larnaca detention facility.
“I have been asked to examine them from a forensic point of view, and to examine the scene, the (Larnaca) prison. I’m still in the process of doing that,” Matsakis told The Cyprus Mail.
He said he had been asked to examine “each and every one of the detainees who allege that they were ill-treated. So I have examined 35 so far” at the Larnaca facility and in the Central Prison, to which Markides on Tuesday ordered some of the boat people in Larnaca to be removed.
“I anticipate I will examine more than 40,” including those now held at the Kofinou police station and “other police stations” housing them, he said.
“Hopefully, I will finish the examinations by tonight… And then, in the next few days, I will give my report to the Attorney-general,” he said. “I cannot disclose my findings, because they have to be given to the Attorney- general,” he added.
The human rights coalition yesterday condemned “the brutality exhibited by the Police special forces” against the boat people, and urged an end to their “illegal detention” and a revamping of the Republic’s laws to preclude future such detentions.
The six groups – the Immigrants Support Action Group, Amnesty International Cyprus, Edon Youth, Nedik Youth, Eden Youth, and Ergatiki Democratia (Worker’s Democracy) – also praised the Attorney-general’s appointment of five civilian investigators to look into charges of police brutality against the boat people.
The rally was called in a meeting of the six groups “about the unacceptable treatment” of the illegal immigrants, who were among 113 boat people rescued in June, sick and starving in a trawler off the Cyprus coast.
A number of the original 113 have already been deported. On hearing late last Friday that more of the 48 being held in Larnaca – most of them black Africans – would be deported the next day, the detainees rioted, burning their bedclothes in protest.
They were flushed from their cells by tear-gas and set upon by members of Mmad, who beat and kicked them after forcing them to lie face-down in the Larnaca detention facility’s courtyard.
Television footage of the beatings was aired extensively on Tuesday night on EuroNews, which is carried throughout Europe. The footage was also made available to domestic US news agencies.
Government officials had expressed shock at the violence of the beatings, as well as concern lest its broadcast outside Cyprus tarnish the island’s reputation abroad. The government is especially sensitive to such matters, as the island moves along in the EU accession process.
The human rights coalition said “Friday’s disturbance was to be expected,” as the boat people had been confined to small quarters under severe limitations to their freedom of movement “for more then four months.”
It argued that no court has ordered “their detention according to our Constitution.” Even if one had, that detention order “would have expired long ago.” Therefore, the group said, “their detention is illegal.”
“The absence of a government policy on the handling of… migrants… allows for the racist and illegitimate conduct of the Immigration Department, Police and other authorities,” the coalition declared.
To correct this, it called for “enactment of legislation… in accordance with the conventions ratified by the Republic of Cyprus in relation to migrants… (and) for political asylum.”
The lack of a Cyprus law granting asylum to people fleeing tyranny at home is sure to be explored if the island is to ever join the European Union, where asylum is routine.
