Missing person’s relative obtains injunction protecting his genetic material

VASSILIS Pantazis, whose brother Philippos went missing in 1974, has taken legal steps to stop his genetic material from being used by any other body or entity except the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics (CING).

Nicosia Court yesterday pushed forwards a hearing for June 20 at the request of CING’s lawyer, Polys Polyviou, who asked for more time before the institute responded, Kathimerini newspaper reported.

In the meantime the court legally binds CING to keep put Pantazis’ genetic material. CING cannot “deliver and/or move and/or transfer the claimant’s genetic material to any other legal or physical entity” whatsoever in Cyprus or abroad, the court said.

The court order effectively stops the UN-supported Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) from sending Pantazis’ samples abroad, and could have sweeping implications on the use of the genetic material and profiles, currently in CING’s possession.

Pantazis told the Cyprus Mail that he was moved to go to court “given how things stand of late”. Last October a contract between the CMP and CING - the only body capable of carrying out missing persons’ DNA identifications – expired.

No new contract has been signed as of yet while missing persons’ remains have not been sent over to CING for identification.

The CMP has been asking CING to comply with a set of requirements which CING has publicly said it has met, making it unclear if and what requirements are the real sticking points. “I have lost trust,” Pantazis said adding this was his primary motivation for securing a court order.

Reports have suggested a lab in Bosnia as the most likely candidate for a new contract with the CMP for DNA identification, following the opening up of tenders in mid-February.

CING has publicly said it was willing to meet requirements set by the CMP, including assigning a project manager; meeting sorting process’ requirements; and handing over access to genetic profiles as long as they are legally assured they could.

The CMP has said that if requirements are met, they are happy for the process to stay at home. “All these games have convinced me to proceed with my lawyer to stop anyone, even the Republic of Cyprus, from using my genetic material,” Pantazis said.

The CMP, a bi-communal body investigates cases of persons reported missing during the sixties and 1974 under the auspices of the UN.

May 19, 2012

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus-institute-neurology-and-genetics/missing-person-s-relative-obtains-injunction-protecting-his