VETERAN journalist Panayiotis Paschalis died on Sunday night at the age of 68 after losing an ongoing battle against cancer.
Yesterday, the Union of Cyprus Journalists (UCJ) paid tribute to the Paschalis, who was a member of the Ethics in Journalism Commission and deputy member of the UCJ Board of Directors, referring to him as a “journalist with an underlying commitment to the ethics of his profession, human rights, democratic ideals, peace and social justice”.
The Cyprus News Agency (CNA) Board of Directors also expressed their grief over Paschalis’ death, saying that he had “left his own mark on journalism in Cyprus, was distinguished for his ethos and advocated impartiality in his profession”.
Born in Nicosia in 1940, Paschalis studied journalism and cinematography in East Germany, before returning to Cyprus to begin his career in left-wing daily Haravghi, where he worked in many different posts including the position of Assistant Editor-in-Chief.
During his career that spanned more than 40 years, he also worked as a correspondent for a number of international news agencies, television channels and newspapers.
He also took part in international and European journalism congresses and actively participated in organising programmes for the vocational and ethical education and training of journalists on a European level.
In a statement by the Cyprus Union of Journalists, Paschalis is referred to as someone who “served the journalistic occupation with zeal and professionalism” and who “focused especially on reports on political and social issues, research and analysis as well as writing about international matters, mainly issues regarding the situation in the Middle East and efforts carried out by countries who were struggling to gain freedom, democracy and to rid themselves from oppression”.
His work as an investigative reporter in the Middle East focused on supporting the freedom and human rights of the Palestinian people, something that cost him a three-year imprisonment in Israel from January 1979 to 1982.
In the last few months of his life, he assisted the Union of Cyprus Journalists in putting together the Museum of Cypriot Press and helped to create the library of the UCJ.
Paschalis had been receiving treatment at the Bank of Cyprus Oncology Centre in Nicosia over the last few weeks.
His funeral will take place today at 5pm at the Constantinos and Eleni Church in Nicosia. The costs for the funeral will be covered by Haravghi newspaper and the Union of Cyprus Journalists.
The UCJ also expressed their heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.
Paschalis is survived by his wife Maroula and his daughter Andria.
