Importance Score: 55 / 100 🔵
Israeli Men Acquitted in Cyprus Gang Rape Trial
In a ruling delivered on Monday, a court in Cyprus acquitted five Israeli men of all charges in a gang rape case involving a 20-year-old British woman. The Famagusta criminal court cleared the defendants of multiple charges, including two counts of rape, sexual abuse, forced sexual intercourse, sexual harassment, and abduction, concluding a trial that has drawn international attention.
Charges Dropped Against the Accused
The complainant, a British national, alleged that she was sexually assaulted and raped by five Israeli men in September 2023. The defendants, identified as Israeli nationals aged between 19 and 20 from Majd al-Krum, consistently denied all accusations leveled against them. The trial commenced in October 2023 at the Famagusta criminal court, situated north of Ayia Napa, the location where the alleged assault was reported to have occurred.
Court Cites Inconsistencies in Testimony
The three-judge panel, in its verdict, stated that the woman’s testimony lacked credibility, highlighting inconsistencies and weaknesses concerning the identification of individuals and the actions they were accused of. While acknowledging that misidentification can occur in such scenarios, the court emphasized that her account contained several contradictions.
Key Evidentiary Issues
- Party Account Discrepancy: The court found her claim of being dragged from a party of 100 people unconvincing, especially since a friend’s testimony indicated she willingly went upstairs with another individual.
- Substance Influence: Laboratory tests confirmed the presence of significant alcohol and narcotics (MDA and MDMA) in the woman’s system. However, the court determined this was not to a degree that would negate her capacity to consent, especially considering her own admission of feeling only “slightly dizzy.”
- Lack of Heard Distress Calls: The court also questioned her claim of shouting for help during the alleged incident, as individuals in an adjacent room testified to hearing nothing.
- Changing Statements: The judges pointed out that the woman initially reported non-consensual sex with one person to a police officer but later changed her statement to involve two individuals.
- Number of Assailants: In her initial statement, she described sexual acts by three individuals while identifying five men present. This evolved in subsequent statements to accuse all five men of carrying out sexual acts.
- Uncertainty Regarding Injuries: The court concluded that it could not be definitively established if abrasions found on her body were recent or possibly resulted from consensual sexual activity at an earlier time.
Trial Conducted Partially Behind Closed Doors
A portion of the legal proceedings in this sensitive case was conducted in closed session.