"Five Israeli men go on trial in Cyprus
accused of gang-raping British woman after an Ayia Napa pool party
as her lawyer says 20-year-old is 'determined to see justice served'.
The group, aged between 19 and 20 years old from the Israeli Arab town of Majd al-Krum, were brought before a three-member panel of judges at the city of Famagusta's District Court.
The men were arrested after the British woman, 20, told police that they gang-raped her inside her hotel room in the tourist resort of Aiya Napa on September 3.
Officers quickly rounded up the men who were on holiday in the party resort and they were subsequently charged with rape, sexual assault by penetration, sexual intercourse through violence, rape by compelling sexual penetration, indecent assault against a woman, sexual harassment, and abduction.
Now, their trial has begun after they entered not guilty pleas.
The victim will be giving evidence most likely in January 2024 because she wants to prevent this from happening to anyone else. She is committed to ensuring that the perpetrators are brought to justice,' Mr Pollak said.
During the trial at Famagusta District Court on Monday, Mr Pollak said the defendant's police interviews were read to the court. The trial is set to last until Thursday.
The case bears harrowing similarities to an incident in 2019 in which another female British holidaymaker claimed she was gang-raped by a group of Israeli men.
According to a leaked report, the alleged victim had bruises and injuries consistent with an attack and a statement from her was read out by the prosecutor which went into the horrific assault, and which is too graphic to publish.
At pre-trial hearings, the court also heard several staff had witnessed the aftermath of the alleged attack and would testify – including how they saw the victim fleeing by climbing from a window on the second floor of the three-star Fedrania Gardens hotel.
A forensic search of the room where the attack happened found traces of blood on the floor and on sheets on the bed.
The woman told police that one of the five men had forcibly taken her to his room after grabbing her hand while she was partying with friends around the pool on September 3.
She said the man tried to remove her bathing suit while she pleaded with him to let her leave.
The other suspects then entered the room and one had intercourse with her against her will and another forced her to perform oral sex, while two others held her down on the bed, she said. She said one suspect also held her against a wall and raped her."
Five Israeli men on trial in Cyprus accused of gang-raping Briton
The group, aged between 19 and 20 years old from the Israeli Arab town of Majd al-Krum, were brought before a three-member panel of judges at the city of Famagusta's District Court.
