Independent MP Andreas Themistocleous faced further criticism on Friday after he attacked a Green Party parliamentarian for welcoming the ban on conversion therapies.
Alexandra Attalides had commented on Cyprus’ historical decision on Thursday to criminalise the pseudo-treatments with a tweet saying the move will end the centuries-long torture of LGBTQIA individuals. She also advised patience saying a few more decades are needed to ensure the human rights of this group.
Citing her post above a screen shot of an old article when Attalides said she received messages threatening to “send her three black [men]”, Themistocleous wrote “it appears the three black [men] never arrived”.
The article was referring to when the Green MP had publically reported that she was receiving threatening messages of racist and homophobic content for defending LGBTQIA+ and migrants rights. Among them was “we will send you three black [men]”.
Themistocleous, known for his homophobic statements, caused a public uproar with his recent comment.
On Friday Akel-affiliated women’s organisation Pogo said “we really cannot find words to describe the racist, sexist torrent of Mr Themistocleous”.
They also urged the House president, the ethics committee and the Human rights commissioner to intervene.
Under the post, other commentators applauded Themistocleous, with a woman saying “this one, she needs one fleet of blacks”.
Some even attacked the Attalides’ migration policies.
After a comment referring her to the Pournara reception centre for asylum seekers a netizen said: “She cares more about immigrants than her own people who are quickly becoming a minority in their own country because of the huge influx of asylum seekers immigrants and illegal immigrants she loves so much”.
The previous day, Themistocleous posted in response of a protest by members of the LGBTQIA+ community outside parliament urging them to keep “away, far far away your hands from schools, our families and children”.
The independent MP hit the headlines last year after he said in parliament that mandatory sex education in schools will teach children that homosexuality is “okay”.
“We are living in a porn-fuelled and gay storm,” the MP had said, noting how the relevant law “was guided by a diseased brain.
“The law is nothing but an abomination. It is disgusting, deplorable and sad. We will teach children that it’s ok for two women to kiss each other, and for men the same. We will teach them that two women or two men can have a child.”
