Man arrested for filming police officer in public

A man has been detained by police in Larnaca after he recorded on video a police officer who was flagging down vehicles and checking for traffic violations.

According to police, an officer who was issuing a ticket to a motorist in Larnaca, on Monday afternoon around 3pm, became aware of another man who was recording the incident.

The officer initially instructed the man to stop recording but the 30-year-old male allegedly carried on until he was arrested by the officer in question. Police told Knews the suspect appeared to have been a passerby with no connection to the traffic stop itself.

According to legal experts, it is not illegal to record someone in public, including police officers, as it is not reasonable to have an expectation of privacy in such situations.

However, members of the police force in Cyprus have in the past raised concerns over their right to privacy while on the job. In some cases, officers detained individuals, citing concerns that video or audio may appear on social media, thus reposting their information in the public domain.

Police told Knews the suspect was arrested and charged with violating privacy laws and obstructing a law enforcement officer. He was then released until his court date.