The Committee for the Protection of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities has expressed strong concern over the circulation of a video on social media involving a person with Down syndrome, while also questioning the handling of an earlier complaint related to the case.
In a statement, the committee said the incident was reported on 1 June 2026, but alleged that it did not receive sufficient investigation, allowing the material to continue circulating online.
Committee condemns incident
The committee described the incident as a serious violation of human dignity and warned that such conduct can have significant psychological consequences for persons with disabilities and their families.
According to the statement, the circumstances may also raise issues relating to the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities and, depending on the facts established by investigators, could potentially involve criminal offences.
Concerns over earlier complaint
The committee said a complaint had been submitted to the Cybercrime Unit by the Pancyprian Organisation for the Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons (POAA) on 1 June 2026.
However, it expressed disappointment that the matter was allegedly not investigated adequately, resulting in the continued circulation of the video on social media platforms.
The committee added that subsequent efforts to obscure identifying features in the footage do not diminish the seriousness of the incident or its impact on the individual concerned and on persons with intellectual disabilities more broadly.
Call for stronger protection
The committee said the public humiliation, ridicule and exploitation of the vulnerability of persons with disabilities cannot be tolerated in a society that respects human rights and the rule of law.
It stressed that protecting the dignity, personality and rights of persons with intellectual disabilities is both a responsibility of the state and a duty shared by society as a whole.
Appeal to the public and authorities
The committee called on members of the public to report similar incidents promptly and urged relevant authorities to act effectively and enforce existing legislation.
According to the statement, a lack of accountability risks encouraging further violations of the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities, particularly those with intellectual disabilities.
