Cyprus 'gang rape' case: Women's rights activist says victims will now be 'too scared to come forward'

7 January 2020, 15:39

Magda Zenon has spoken out about the Cyprus rape case
Magda Zenon has spoken out about the Cyprus rape case. Picture: Twitter / PA

By Maddie Goodfellow

A prominent women's rights activist in Cyprus has said that the "travesty of justice" faced by a British woman convicted of lying over a gang rape ordeal will prevent other rape victims from coming forward.

Magda Zenon, a member of the Executive Board of the Cyprus Women’s Lobby, told LBC News: "Simply, this young girl needs to go home.

"These last months since July have been a travesty of justice this girl has been treated exceptionally badly. Violation upon violation, I’m infuriated."

The teenager, who has not been named, was found guilty by a Cypriot court of lying about being gang-raped and sentenced to a four-month suspended jail term on Tuesday.

She has been stuck on the island of Ayia Napa after claiming she was raped by up to 12 Israeli tourists in a hotel room on July 17 and was today set to fly back to the UK.

The dozen young men and boys, aged between 15 and 20, who were arrested over the incident were freed after she signed a retraction statement 10 days later.

Ms Zenon said of the process: "It has shown that there are a lot of failings and whatever happened that night in July, the girl was not treated properly.

"Whatever happened, whether she lied or whether the rape happened, she was treated as if she had committed the worst crime.

"She immediately became the accused, she went from victim to the accused."

Ms Zenon also said that since the girl was convicted, other women have contacted her with similar stories.

She explained: "This week I actually got two messages on Facebook, from local girls, middle class, upstanding, educated girls to tell me that they've been victims of rape.

"They'd been too scared to report it, because they knew that if they had gone to the police, they would not be believed.

"They would be a stigma to the families and that wouldn't they wouldn't get the justice that they deserved.

"It's actually quite scary because we tend to think here that this only happens to other people. And that this is not just a tourist thing. It's not just a migrant thing. This happens locally as well."

The case has sparked international outrage
The case has sparked international outrage. Picture: PA

When asked about what this decision means for the future, Ms Zenon said: "This has to go further because what this showed is not only what happens with victims of sexual violence but it shows a system that is flawed and needs correction.

"It needs to become up to date, it needs to remember human rights and it needs to be remember the protection of victims.

She continued: "I think at this stage, we need to be more constructive back with a critical mass that we needed before to pressurise the government to actually implement things that should have been in place long ago."

Speaking directly to the teenager, Ms Zenon said: "My message to her is that she must heal, whatever decision she makes, we are behind her and we believe her.

"It hasn't been an easy six months, I'm just really really glad she's going home to familiar settings to her own bed and to her mum."

Latest World News

See more Latest World News

Chanel Banks has been missing for over two weeks

Gossip Girl star Chanel Maya Banks missing for two weeks as family launch desperate search

Spanish people have been seen bracing for more flooding in drastic ways

Spain takes drastic measures as more flooding looms, as some locals even tie their cars up and wrap them in film

Hvaldimir died earlier this year

Russian 'spy' Beluga whale 'was being trained to guard Kremlin's military base but fled because it was a hooligan'

Donald Trump has appointed Elon Musk to his cabinet when he becomes president

Elon Musk to lead US ‘DOGE’ department to cut bureaucracy which they claim will be ‘Manhattan Project of our time’

Donald Trump has appointed Elon Musk to his cabinet when he becomes president

Donald Trump confirms tech billionaire Elon Musk will join cabinet when he becomes president

Several sandbags to contain the new flood in Aldaia, Valencia

Flood-hit areas of Spain brace for torrential rain forecast as orange alert issued

The husband of Erin Jayne Plummer has reportedly died in a suspected self-harm incident

Husband of Australian TV star dies suddenly two years after her suicide leaving three kids orphaned

Police in Zhuhai after the incident

Dozens of people killed and over 40 injured after car ploughs into crowd outside stadium in China

A damaged tram in Amsterdam as the city continues to face tensions following violence last week

Violence reignites in Amsterdam as tram set on fire days on from 'anti-Semitic attacks'

Footage showed the pair tumble down the flight of stairs before Kanjo grips the woman’s necklaces

WATCH: Moment Syrian asylum seeker pushes 91-year-old down stairs after violent mugging

Karam Kanjo, 26, was captured on CCTV assaulting the elderly woman

Fury in Sweden after Syrian asylum seeker pushes 91-year-old down stairs after violently mugging her

The 'skip forward' voyage will last up to four years.

Cruise company offers four-year 'skip forward' voyage for Americans to avoid Donald Trump's presidency

Millions of Brits fell silent to honour the fallen on Monday.

'We will remember them': Nation falls silent as millions of Brits remember the fallen for Armistice Day

Keir Starmer has attended Armistice Day events in Paris

Starmer becomes first British leader since Churchill to attend Armistice Day ceremony in France

Putin and Trump in 2019

Putin has 'no plans' to speak to Trump, as Kremlin slams claims that US urged Russia not to escalate Ukraine war

Joe Biden stumbled as he went on a seaside walk with his wife Jill.

WATCH: Moment 81-year-old Joe Biden stumbles on sandy beach during seaside getaway