Our View: Nothing left for deputy AG but to resign
Last week’s damning decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) about the appalling handling by deputy attorney-general Savvas Angelides of a rape complaint sparked renewed calls for the reform of the state legal office, which is long-overdue.
President of the House Annita Demetriou on Monday said the nolle prosequi issued by Angelides with regard to the rape case referred to the ECtHR was “mistaken” and this was not the first time the European court “condemned the Cyprus Republic for behaviours against women.” Institutional changes were needed she said – the end of the unaccountability of legal office and the separation of the roles of state legal advisor and public prosecutor, which currently belong to the AG.
All parties support the need for this change and the government, said the spokesman, had prepared a number of bills that would lead to the change, although it did not have the constitutional power to satisfy calls for the sacking of the deputy AG, who was an independent state official. Both the AG and the deputy AG are untouchable and unaccountable, a point raised by Demetriou, who said “institutions are obliged to communicate their decisions to citizens, explaining with transparency the ‘why’.”
Requirements for transparency and accountability do not exist at present, she said, which undermines public trust and confidence in institutions. The ECtHR issued a damning judgment about the deputy AG’s decision not to prosecute the rape suspect and also castigated his failure to give full reasons for his decision and access to documents to the appellant. In addition to this, the ECtHR judgment said the authorities had not only failed to protect the woman, who was just 18 at the time of the alleged rape, but had contributed to her victimisation for a second time; it also condemned the sexist stereotypes used in official documents.
Demetriou also picked up on this point, saying the gender stereotypes “led to discrimination against women,” but she stopped short of calling for the resignation of Angelides, announcing instead a personal initiative to amend the constitution as soon as possible so there would be more accountability and transparency. Others, however, have called for the resignation of Angelides, with Akel organising a protest to demand he steps down. Diko deputy Chryses Pantelides also called for his resignation, saying that the decision to suspend prosecution in a criminal case was not in the public interest, as is usually claimed for issuing nolle prosequi.
That Angelides committed a gross error is not up for discussion as the ECtHR decision stated this very clearly. And when a higher court issues such a damning judgment, that is also fully supported by the country’s political system, the deputy AG’s position is untenable. Angelides, in an announcement on Friday, said “I take the responsibility with regard to the handling of the specific case.” Can there be any other way of taking responsibility than stepping down and also easing the pressure on the AG, who had played no part in this humiliation of his office?