Nestled on the eastern coast of Cyprus, Ayia Napa draws crowds of tourists. However, it also made headlines recently when six Israeli individuals were apprehended and implicated in a case involving the alleged rape of a British tourist, as informed by Israel’s foreign ministry.
The Israeli embassy received a formal briefing about the case, and since then, its consul has been liaising consistently with the local officials working on the case. The British Foreign Office confirmed that efforts are being made to extend support to a British woman in Cyprus, presumably the victim.
According to Cypriot media outlets, a court found enough reason to warrant an eight-day detention of five foreign individuals as the investigations concerning the alleged rape of the tourist at Ayia Napa continues. There was no immediate response from the Cyprus police to confirm these reports. Nonetheless, a police source quoted by Reuters specified the tourist involved as a British woman.
The woman registered a complaint with the law enforcement officers. Her claim stated that she was assaulted inside her hotel at Ayia Napa. The police arrested five suspects: Israeli men aged 19 and 20 following the incident.
The reason for the discrepancy in the number of individuals arrested still remains unclear.
A representative from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office publicly acknowledged their involvement in the case: They affirmed that they are dispensing their resources to support the British national involved and are in direct communication with the local authorities at Cyprus.
Nir Yaslovitz, an Israeli attorney, spoke to Channel 12 TV referencing The Times of Israel’s report. “Cypriot police harbour serious suspicions regarding the case, but we’ve seen similar cases previously,” he said, expressing hope that the truth of the matter will come to light swiftly.
It’s noteworthy to remember that back in 2019, Ayia Napa was under scrutiny for another similar case involving a British woman claiming to have been attacked by twelve Israeli men. However, she later revised her statement, stating she made it without legal counsel. She was then found guilty of creating public disorder.
The ruling sparked much outrage among advocates of women’s rights, but the conviction was subsequently overturned during an appeal at the Supreme Court in Cyprus the following year.
