Proposed Cyprus Bill Allowing Journalist Surveillance Sparks Outcry

A draft bill in Cyprus, presented as aligning with the European Media Freedom Act, would enable authorities to surveil journalists and associates, search premises and devices, compel source disclosure, and potentially deploy spyware, while a separate amendment could criminalize “fake news.” Press freedom groups, the Cyprus Bar Association, OSCE, IFJ, and a UN Special Rapporteur warn the proposals undermine press protections by omitting proportionality and public-interest safeguards, risking misuse to silence critics; amid rising concern and a noted drop in Cyprus’s RSF ranking, the Interior Ministry plans revisions to meet EU deadlines but has not withdrawn the bill.