Five Israelis accused of gang-raping British woman, 20, are hugged by their relatives after crying in the dock as their trial begins in Cyprus
- The group were held after accusations from the woman following a pool party
- Officers rounded up the men who were on holiday in Ayia Napa last month
- They are charged with rape and several sexual assault offences, and abduction
Five Israeli men who were charged with gang raping a British holidaymaker in September have now gone on trial in Cyprus.
The group, all aged between 19 and 20 years old from the Israeli Arab town of Majd al-Krum, were arrested after the woman complained to police that she had been targeted following a pool party at her three-star hotel in the tourist resort of Ayia Napa on September 3.
Officers quickly rounded up the men who were on holiday in the party resort and they were subsequently charged with rape, sexual assault by penetration, sexual intercourse through violence, rape by compelling sexual penetration, indecent assault against a woman, sexual harassment, and abduction.
The five appeared in the city of Famagusta on Thursday in a courtroom packed with their relatives who showed up to plead their innocence and show support.
All five defendants, who deny the charges, remained straight-faced during proceedings but could not contain their emotion as the hearing concluded.
The families surged to embrace the defendants before they were taken away to return to their cells, with one of the men on trial bursting into tears as he hugged his mother.
The case bears harrowing similarities to an incident in 2019 in which another female British holidaymaker claimed she was gang-raped by a group of Israeli men.
Women’s rights activists deploy a banner in front of Famagusta district court in Paralimni, where five Israeli tourists will stand trial for allegedly gang-raping a young British woman in a popular Cypriot holiday resort a month earlier, on October 5, 2023
Cypriot police cars transport Israeli tourists to the Famagusta district court in Paralimni, to stand trial for allegedly gang-raping a young British woman in a popular Cypriot holiday resort a month earlier, on October 5, 2023
Cypriot police cars transport Israeli tourists to the Famagusta district court in Paralimni
The Cypriot and European flags fly in front of Famagusta district court in Paralimni, where five Israeli tourists will stand trial for allegedly gang-raping a young British woman in a popular Cypriot holiday resort a month earlier, on October 5, 2023
According to a leaked report, the alleged victim had bruises and injuries consistent with an attack and a statement from her was read out by the prosecutor which went into the horrific assault, and which is too graphic to publish.
At pre-trial hearings, the court also heard several staff had witnessed the aftermath of the alleged attack and would testify – including how they saw the victim fleeing by climbing from a window on the second floor of the Fedrania Gardens hotel.
A forensic search of the room where the attack happened found traces of blood on the floor and on sheets on the bed.
The woman told police she had been taken by force to the hotel room after one of the men started flirting with her and then after he attacked her the others joined in.
The alleged victim’s lawyer, Michael Polak from campaign Group Justice Abroad, told MailOnline: ‘We are pleased that the case is moving ahead and look forward to a just resolution.’
But Nir Yaslovitzh, who is representing two of the accused said: ‘A perusal of the investigation material reveals that the investigation material collected by the police is full of holes like Swiss cheese.
‘I am confident that like the previous case in Ayia Napa of the rape that never occurred, so it will be proven in the present case that my clients are innocent of any crime.’
At the hearing Thursday morning, the defendants’ lawyers said they still had not seen key evidence, including a DNA report which one lawyer claimed would exonerate his two clients.
The DNA report is expected to arrive at the court later today according to the state prosecutor.
Former Cyrpiot MP Skevi Koukouma attended the hearing with a few volunteers from the women’s group association known as Pogo, declaring they wanted to send a message that ‘victims should feel they can speak out and can be believed.
‘They are not alone,’ the group said.
The group, all aged between 19 and 20, were held after the woman complained to police that she had been targeted following a pool party in Ayia Napa earlier this month (file image)
A relative of one of the five Israelis covers her face with a bag as she leaves the Famagusta District Courthouse in Paralimni, Cyprus
Earlier this month, the woman who suffered the sexual assault in 2019 exclusively told MailOnline: ‘We send our heartfelt support to the young woman at the centre of these reports.
‘We hope that the Cypriot authorities don’t add the insult to injury of victim-blaming that lead to pre-trial imprisonment and the wrongful prosecution that was successfully appealed at great emotional and financial cost.
‘This was achieved with support from UK media, politicians and with funds raised through GoFundMe and from individual donors for which we remain especially grateful.’
The now 22-year-old had gone from victim to accused after police dismissed her claims and said she had made them up and she was eventually given a 16-week suspended sentence in January 2020 before the verdict was overturned by the Cyprus Supreme Court.
The five defendants will now be held in custody until the next hearing which is due to take place on October 16.
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