Osiou Avakoum monk named as whistleblower in secret cameras scandal

A monk at the Osiou Avakoum monastery seems to have been named as the whistleblower of the scandal, it emerged on Thursday, as details were released about the cameras installed on the premises.

According to information heard in court two days ago, when Archimandrite Nektarios was remanded for eight-days, the cameras at monastery were installed by the monk, who, after initial camera placement had three extra cameras that also recorded sound installed.

Two of the cameras in question were placed in Nektarios’ office, while a third was placed in the garden of the monastery.

According to a report in Philenews, the cameras that did not record sound were installed by the monks following orders given from the Tamassos bishopric, due to a spate of burglaries carried out at churches in the area.

The metropolis of Tamassos reported that there was no indication made to ever have sound recorded, and that Nektarios had done it out of his own volition, paying out of pocket for the three cameras that recorded sound.

Access to the cameras, according to a claim made by the bishopric, was given to Nektarios, Porfyrios, and a third monk Varnavas, who has been pointed out as the individual that reported the two first for sexual acts.

The bishopric said that after the three cameras were installed, Nektarios failed to block access to them, leaving Porfyrios and Varnavas able to access the recordings.

Varnavas is reported to have seen sexual acts on the cameras in the office, and he is said to have reported to the Tamassos Bishop Isaias what he saw.

The metropolis of Tamassos considers that it did not receive the content of the cameras illegally but from a legitimate user, possibly from a monk authorised by the Archimandrite.

Of course, the question that emerged was whether further surveillance was tenable and legitimate. The diocese’s side believes that since an ecclesiastical offence was established which, in fact, carries the penalty of excommunication, the surveillance should have continued to determine whether others were involved or whether other offences were arising.

The diocese suggests that the existence and operation of the illegal cameras was reported to the police by Isaias himself.

In court two days ago, technicians are reported to have said in their testimony that they received instructions from Nektarios on how to instal the cameras.

Since the scandal broke, Data Protection Commissioner Irene Loizidou Nicolaidou has found that criminal offences resulted from the management of the cameras, and she has informed the police about it.