Foreign NGOs monitor KISA trial

FOUR NGOs sent a delegation to monitor the trial of anti-racism NGO KISA’s director Doros Polycarpou yesterday, amid “deep concerns” over the freedom and fairness of proceedings.

The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN), The Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM), The European Network Against Racism (ENAR), and Migreurop were all present for yesterday’s second trial hearing.

The trial was postponed until September 12 due to lack of detailed information about the criminal charges which concern the violent clashes between a large crowd of right-wing nationalist movement ELAM and participants at the 13th annual Rainbow multicultural festival in Larnaca on November 5 last year,

According to reports, ELAM attacked the festival goers, while shouting  racist slogans against Turks, Jews and Muslims, migrants, as well as against KISA activists. One Turkish Cypriots musician was stabbed.

Six months after the tragic events, which left several festival goers injured, law enforcement authorities sought to convict Polycarpou by bringing criminal charges including “rioting and participating in an illegal assembly”, punishable by three years in prison.

In a statement yesterday, the NGO delegation said: “What is even more alarming is that the main witness in this case is the leader of the extreme right-wing in Cyprus, who organised the racist march.”

It added: “Our organisations strongly condemn the prosecution of Mr Polycarpou that we believe is aimed at damaging the reputation and hindering KISA’s efforts, an organisation that has been fighting xenophobia and racism in Cyprus for the last 13 years. We see no other motive behind the trial than to silence a human rights activist who has worked courageously to defend the cause of people in need of support and protection. “

The delegation also called on Cypriot authorities to drop all the charges. ‘We are determined to raise awareness at national and European level to build the widest coalition in support of KISA,” the statement said.

 

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