The House legal affairs committee on Wednesday discussed a law proposal on the introduction stricter sentences for offenses committed against civil servants insulted or assaulted while carrying out their duties.

“All health professionals work tirelessly, often under difficult conditions, providing their services with a high sense of responsibility and professionalism. Their work is critical and we all acknowledge this both for public health but also for our society,” committee member and Akel MP Marina Nikolaou said after the session.

Nikolaou said that health professionals would unfortunately often became victims of aggressive behaviour, threats and physical attacks whilst performing their duties, which ultimately endangered both their physical and mental health and also affected the effective functioning of health services.

She concluded that the proposal had been perceived positively during the discussion, and that amendments would be discussed at the committee’s next meeting, with the aim of presenting to the proposal to the plenary as soon as possible.

Disy MP Nikos Georgiou reiterated Nikolaou’s concerns, adding that attacks on civil servants while carrying out their state-assigned duties had become a common phenomenon.

“The proposed regulations are necessary  to strengthen the legal framework, to give legislative and legal protection to prevent acts of violence towards public officials and thus consolidate the sense of security towards every official and citizen of the Republic,” Georgiou said.

Referring to recent examples of violence against a social welfare services officer who had been hospitalised with injuries, and a policewoman who had been kicked in the eye while on duty, Georgiou demanded aggravated sentences for similar offenses, “so that any infliction of actual bodily harm against a police officer and public officer is punishable by an increased prison sentence.”

“Any attack or resistance or obstruction of the work [of public officials needs to be punishable under the same] legislation that applies to police officers,” he said.

While emphasising that Disy agreed on the philosophy of the proposal submitted by Akel, Georgiou stressed that there it was significant different from the proposal submitted by his party.

“They are two completely different law proposals,” he said, adding the differences were based on purely legal arguments

Head of the police branch of Isotita trade union Nikos Loizides, who had been invited to the legal committee’s discussion, expressed his support for the proposal submitted by Akel, noting that many civil servants had become desperate due to the lack of strict sentences applied to offenders.

“This is the only way to send the message that public servants, security forces, nurses, ambulances, prison guards, and bailiffs, who keep the country running 24 hours a day (…), are not to be attacked,” he said.

Loizides warned that attacks could possibly claim the lives of civil servants if stricter legislation was not applied soon.

“Everyone must take responsibility, including the legislative authority, to act before January to pass this protective legislation,” he stressed on the issue,” he said.

The Cyprus Police Association (CPA), on its end, expressed its support for the law proposal presented by Disy.

“The CPA has repeatedly stressed the need to toughen penalties and take measures both to protect members of the police force and to strengthen their operational capabilities, CPA said in a statement.

CPA added that in this context, a comprehensive study recommending the upgrading of equipment for officers had been submitted to the police chief, “so that [officers] can respond effectively and safely to any situation.”

The association said it would closely monitor the progress of the bill and emphasised its continuous effort in improving the working conditions for its officers.