The criminalization of false statements to the AADIPA, allegedly to protect the "dignity" of the police, was voted yesterday by the Buli. The law proposal was tabled by a DISY MP, received support from ELAM and far-right MPs, while the ISOTITA guild considers it a success. AKEL, the Ecologists and MPs Alexandra Attalidou and Costas Efstathiou were against it.

AADIPA was set up to calm the anger and reactions caused by the brutal beating of students by police officers in 2006 on Armenia Avenue in Nicosia by creating a framework for complaints against police officers. The attempt to intimidate and silence people who wish to complain, under the guise of 'public harm' if their complaint is unsuccessful, effectively completely defeats whatever purpose this principle was intended to serve. It constitutes yet another measure to tighten repression and confirm the unchecked nature of police violations.

The implementation of this law means that the hundreds of complainants from the As Dame march, during which the police unprovokedly attacked peaceful demonstrators, could face criminal charges for allegedly falsely reporting criminal offences. This despite the fact that they were not given any access to any decision of the Authority or the investigation that led to it.

The efforts of all parties of the right, from the centre to the extremes, to strengthen the repressive apparatus of the state are obvious. We see them in the other tailor-made bill of the police unions to shrink the right to protest.

This will be the next big battle, which will have to be fought at all levels, from institutional to activist. For our part, we declare ourselves ready to resist any state repression, however and wherever it is attempted.