Lawyers 'hopeful' of overturning Briton's 'false gang-rape claim' conviction in Cyprus

Lawyers of a young British woman convicted of falsifying a gang-rape claim in Cyprus have said they are “hopeful about getting justice” following an appeal hearing. 

Legal representatives from London-based legal charity Justice Abroad are challenging the 21-year-old’s sentence, issued in January 2020 by a Cypriot district court judge on grounds that her allegation - later retracted - caused public mischief. 

During an appealing hearing at the Cyprus Supreme Court on Thursday, her lawyers argued “the conviction is unsafe,” because the withdrawal statement was given under duress. 

“We believe….that things went well,” said Michael Polak from Justice Abroad following the appeal hearing. 

“The Justice engaged with our arguments, so we are hopeful about getting justice.” 

The 21-year-old from Derbyshire alleged she was raped by a group of Israeli tourists, aged 15 to 22, while on holiday in Cyprus in July 2019. 

She then retracted her allegation, which was used by prosecutors to convict her of lying about the rape claim, resulting in a four-month suspended jail sentence. 

Justice Abroad believes the retraction should not have been admitted as evidence because it was made after six hours of questioning without a lawyer or translator.  

They also argued the judge “started from a position of staying that rape did not take place [then] refused to hear evidence which showed that it did.” 

If the appeal does not succeed, they’ve said the case will go to the European Court of Human Rights. 

Appeal in the #Cyprus Supreme Court in the Ayia Napa gang rape case of a young British woman by allegedly Israelis, has been launched. It’s the most important case in CY in the last ten years in terms also of human rights. https://t.co/2JZZF1qBK8#IBelieveHer pic.twitter.com/bgpXQtSAbm

— Euripides L Evriviades 🇨🇾🇪🇺 (@eevriviades) September 17, 2021

The legal battle has captured the attention of female activists across the world, with protestors gathering outside the Supreme Court in the capital city Nicosia holding banners reading “#IBelieveHer”. 

“It is so important for young women across the world. This is a beacon,” said the young woman’s barrister, Lewis Power QC. 

Her legal team hope this case will set a precedent for other human rights abuses and sexual offences reported in Cyprus. 

By overturning the conviction, “this girl can free herself from the shackles of an unjust conviction which has tarnished her young life,” said Power. 

The 21-year-old - who suffers from PTSD - did not attend the appeal hearing, instead, she is focusing on life in the UK. 

There has been no ruling yet, and it could take up to six months for a verdict to come through.