PARALIMNI, Cyprus- On Monday, Cyprus court found the British woman who claimed she was gang-raped by 12 Israeli youths six months ago to be guilty of lying.
The case was closely followed by rights groups. The woman who was 19-years-old at the time lied about being sexually abused by 12 Israeli teenagers in the Paralimni district court and the sentencing was set for the 7th of January.
The woman, unnamed for legal reasons, was arrested following a statement by the police that she withdrew the accusation of the teenagers raping her in an Ayia Napa holiday resort hotel room in July.
The woman was convicted of public mischief with a fine, jail term of one year or both.
She said that she recanted her accusation from police duress after persistent questioning without the presence of a lawyer. Court and prosecutors dismissed the claim.
The presiding judge said that beyond a reasonable doubt, the guilt of the accused has been proved, especially since her claim was inconsistent and she tried to mislead the court.
Serious concern was raised regarding the trial’s fairness by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. A fair trial must be guaranteed for the deeply distressing case and it shall be raised with Cypriot authorities.
The Israeli boys accused of the crime were released after 10 days of being arrested without charge, on the day that the accusation was retracted by the woman. A court summon didn’t take place as the case is no longer one of rape but public mischief.
In her open court testimony, the defendant was with one of the boys who she was in a relationship with inside the hotel room before the other boys entered and she had been pinned down.
A defence witness Marios Matsakis, who is a forensic pathologist who formerly worked for the state said that the injuries were consistent with those of rape. Prosecutors said that the allegation was fabricated on becoming angry at being filmed during sex.
The British woman left the courthouse with a handkerchief over her mouth with an imprinted image of female lips sewn shut and a blanket over her face.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field.