Journalist and author Makarios Drousiotis was questioned by police on Thursday as part of an investigation concerning his book Mafia State and a possible violation of personal data laws.

Police spokesman Vyron Vyronos confirmed on Friday that Drousiotis had been called to the police headquarters’ Criminal Investigation Department (CID), where he gave a statement in connection with the case.

In a social media post on Thursday, Drousiotis said he had been summoned for questioning over what he described as an “alleged violation of the laws governing the Cyprus Intelligence Service (KYP) and the protection of personal data”.

He claimed that, to his knowledge, this was the first time legislation governing KYP had been used in the criminal investigation of a journalist, describing it as the “use of national security as a weapon against journalism”.

According to Drousiotis, investigators asked him who had known about the contents of the book before it was published, how he had obtained the information included in it and what role the book’s editor and designer had played.

He said he was also asked to comment on the covers of the two editions of Mafia State.

Drousiotis further claimed he was asked whether he had received “any permission from a competent authority” to publish his books.

He also linked the timing of the complaint to the independent anti-corruption authority announcement concerning Mafia State.

Drousiotis said the latest investigation was the third criminal investigation against him within the space of a month.