The Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs started on Wednesday the debate on a proposal for a law to criminalize the phenomenon of bullying, with penalties of up to two years in prison and a fine of up to 10.000 euros.
The relevant legislative proposal was tabled on behalf of AKEL by MP Andreas Pasiourtides.
In his statements after the end of the Legal Affairs Committee, DISY MP Nikos Tornaritis said that the debate on criminalising bullying is very serious, since it is a reality of modern society, of modern life and has been criminalised in many countries of Europe and the world and there are recommendations by the Council of Europe.
In the Commission, he said, many views were heard and he said that the Commission is determined to send the message that it is not possible and will not be tolerated to bully, to marginalise any citizen, any worker wherever they are.
He said that the World Health Organization describes the phenomenon of bullying as a major public health problem.
He added that AKEL had taken an initiative in recent months to raise awareness in society, but also to formulate a modern comprehensive legislation regarding the phenomenon of bullying.
He also said that all the bodies that attended the committee to present their views agreed with this initiative and its purpose. He concluded that through the discussion in the following sessions and through submissions from all technocrats, guilds and individual persons who want to help, an effort will be made to formulate a text to criminalize the phenomenon of bullying, in order to put a stone in the fight against this phenomenon which is taking alarming proportions both in the world and in Cyprus. The aim, he added, is that no one's life, dignity or health should be endangered and no one should be driven into social isolation because of such phenomena.
Responding to a question, he said that the penal code is being amended and a separate criminal offence is being introduced for the phenomenon of bullying. It provides for prison sentences of up to 2 years and 5,000 euros. In the case of by a person in a position of authority, he added, it is five years and up to 10,000 euros.
Asked whether it also applies to minors, he said that nothing changes in terms of the offence of minors who must be fourteen years old or older to be criminally responsible. He recalled that legislation on juvenile offenders was passed last year that provides for a specific way of managing them from the moment of arrest, detection and investigation of an offence and alternative sentences for juveniles.
Source: CNA
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