Six Israeli citizens have been arrested in Cyprus on suspicion of raping a British tourist, according to a statement by Israel’s foreign ministry. The Israeli embassy has been informed and is in contact with local authorities. While there is no immediate confirmation from police or the UK government, Cypriot media reports that a court has ordered the detention of five foreigners pending investigation of the alleged rape.
According to a police source cited by Reuters, the tourist, identified as a British woman, filed a complaint on Sunday alleging that she was attacked at her hotel in Ayia Napa earlier that day. The source stated that the five suspects, who were later apprehended, are Israeli men aged 19 and 20.
An Israeli lawyer, Nir Yaslovitz, quoted by The Times of Israel, stated that the police in Cyprus have a serious suspicion but acknowledged that similar cases have occurred in the past. He expressed hope that the truth will come out.
This incident follows a case in 2019 where a British woman claimed that she had been raped by 12 Israeli men and boys in Ayia Napa. However, she later retracted the allegation after being held without a lawyer and was subsequently tried and convicted of causing public mischief. The conviction was overturned on appeal at the Supreme Court in Cyprus last year, sparking outrage among women’s rights campaigners.
It remains to be seen how the ongoing investigation regarding the recent alleged rape will unfold, and further details have yet to be disclosed by the authorities.