Wednesday 17 July 2019
A 19-year-old British tourist tells police in Ayia Napa that she was assaulted by a group of Israeli youths in her hotel room that morning. Medical examiners find bruises and scratches on her and 12 males, aged between 15 and 22, are remanded in custody for eight days on 18 July.
Thursday 25 July
Five of the accused are freed when no DNA evidence links them to the alleged incident.
Saturday 27 July
The teenager is asked to come into a police station to give another statement. After doing so willingly, her defence says, she is then accused of lying about the allegations. After eight hours of questioning without a lawyer, she signs a retraction and is formally charged at 2.30am with “giving a false statement over an imaginary offence”. The next day the remaining suspects are released.
Tuesday 30 July
The woman is remanded in custody for eight days, after being escorted into Paralimni court in handcuffs. She faces charges of “public mischief” for alleging she had been sexually assaulted by the tourists.
Tuesday 6 August
The student rejects her retraction statement saying she was forced to produce it by the police. The following day her lawyer requests he be relieved of his duties, citing “serious disagreement” with his client.
Tuesday 27 August
After more than a month in jail, the woman pleads not guilty to falsely claiming she was gang-raped and is bailed by a court on condition she visits a police station three times a week before her trial.
Wednesday 2 October
The trial is adjourned for two weeks, a delay called for by the defence to produce new evidence, which reportedly includes text messages and pictures exchanged among the Israelis offering proof she was raped.
Monday 14 October
A day before the trial starts on 15 October, human rights and feminist organisations urge Cyprus’s attorney general to dismiss the case. “It’s brutal what she and her family have had to endure,” said Susana Pavlou of the Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies.
Thursday 12 December
The 19-year-old is told that she will have to remain in Cyprus over Christmas, as the final judgment is expected for 30 December – almost six months after the initial incident took place.
Monday 30 December
The court in Paralimni rules that the teen is guilty of causing public mischief – sentencing is scheduled for 7 January. Her defence lawyer says that she will be appealing against the verdict.
