A British woman has won a significant ruling from the European Court of Human Rights after claiming that Cypriot authorities failed to properly investigate her allegations of being gang-raped. The woman, who was 19 at the time of the incident in 2019, accused 12 Israeli men of raping her while she was on holiday in Ayia Napa, a popular party destination.
After making her allegations, the woman retracted her statement ten days later and was subsequently charged with "public mischief" for making false claims. She spent over a month in jail before receiving a suspended prison sentence. Her conviction was later quashed by the Cypriot Supreme Court, which acknowledged that she may have been coerced into changing her testimony and that she did not receive a fair trial.
Despite this victory, the Cypriot attorney general declined to reopen the original case, prompting her legal team to take the matter to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. The court found that the investigative authorities in Cyprus did not adequately address her claims and highlighted a series of shortcomings in the way the case was handled.
The court’s judgment pointed to biases against women that hindered the effective investigation of her allegations. It stated that the assessment of her credibility was influenced by harmful gender stereotypes and victim-blaming attitudes. The court ruled that the mishandling of her case violated her rights and awarded her €20,000 in damages, along with €5,000 for legal costs.
Michael Polak, the woman’s lawyer, expressed that this ruling is a crucial step not only for her but for all victims of sexual violence across Europe. He emphasized the importance of addressing the cultural issues surrounding the treatment of sexual offense claims in Cyprus. He believes that the ruling creates an obligation for Cypriot authorities to conduct a fresh investigation into her original claims, ideally by a different police force.
The case has drawn significant attention, sparking protests in support of the woman in various cities, including London. Many have raised concerns about fair trial rights in Cyprus, with calls for improvements in how sexual assault cases are treated. The original suspects in the case were released without charge and returned to Israel, maintaining their denial of the allegations.
As this story continues to unfold, it highlights the ongoing challenges faced by survivors of sexual violence and the need for systemic change in how such cases are handled by authorities.