After the emergence of a video showing how a turtle is mistreated, the police in Paphos have prosecuted four men. The footage is said to show how one of the animals is thrown and kicked to the ground several times.

The trigger was a complaint received on Monday at around 1:30 p.m. Shortly afterwards, emergency services went to the place recognizable in the video - a beach near the village of Chlorakas. The investigation led to the identification of four men aged 58, 47, 27 and 22. According to the police, they are employees of the municipal council of Chlorakas.

The suspects were found at their workplace on Tuesday and arrested. In addition, the officers seized a dead turtle to clarify the cause of death. A veterinary examination carried out on Tuesday morning showed that the animal had been dead for about 48 hours.

Later that same day, the four men received written charges of public disturbance. They were released until a later court summons was served.

The municipal council of Chlorakas expressed its regret about the incidents. Such behaviour is neither in accordance with the principles nor the values or working methods of the municipality. According to the council, employees - as usual when finding dead animals - went to the beach with the aim of removing the turtle, which had supposedly already died. They now want to wait for the conclusion of the police investigation.

Animal welfare officer Antonia Theodosiou described the incident as "unacceptable". Even if the turtle was already dead when it was found, the handling of it was in no way appropriate. Again and again, employees responsible for the recovery of dead turtles would point to the high weight of the animals or a lack of knowledge. Nevertheless, there are clear guidelines and protocols of the Ministry of Fisheries that must be strictly adhered to. The incident shows that training is necessary for staff of local authorities, as such behaviour undermines the protection of marine fauna and contradicts respect for protected species. If a live turtle is sighted, the public must immediately inform the fisheries authority.

The head of the fisheries authority, Marina Argyrou, also sharply condemned what happened. She spoke of a heinous and condemnable incident without precedent. An employee of her agency visited the place after the event and confirmed that the turtle was dead. Regardless of this, the way the animal was treated could not be justified in any situation.


We will stay tuned and report on this incident as soon as there is something new!


Author: MFRadio.de with kind permission for editorial use 
Source: CyprusMail.com