Release of monastery CCTV footage ‘clearly illegal’

There is clear illegality in relation to visual material from the Osiou Avakoum monastery which has been widely viewed online, data protection commissioner Irene Loizidou Nicolaidou said on Sunday.

This, she said, is because the videos have been published despite being recorded on closed circuit video surveillance (CCTV) installed in the monastery.

The videos that have circulated online also have sound recordings.

While she is often called upon to evaluate the use of CCTV footage, Nicolaidou said the circulation of audio was clearly expressly prohibited.

“The use of sound from closed circuits is very intrusive,” she told Philenews.

At the moment, it is not clear how legal the collection of the CCTV footage was, which would have an impact of its circulation online.

Nicolaidou has asked the police to clarify where the cameras were placed, if they were recording in public places and if the purpose for which they were installed violates the rights of third parties without their knowledge.

After a video of a woman being struck with a belt by a monk from the monastery was widely circulated online last week, police said they had seized the CCTV footage.

Police spokesman Christos Andreou has confirmed police have several videos from CCTV in their possession.

Since police announced on March 8 that they were investigating a complaint from the bishopric of Tamassos about financial offences at the monastery a series of scandals concerning sex fake miracles and money laundering have rocked the monastery.

In the last week Nicolaides has also said her office has received complaints from people whose voice or image can be seen and heard on the CCTV footage.