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Photo: AFP
The UK woman brought before court in Cyprus
Photo: AFP

UK woman charged with falsely accusing 12 Israelis of rape says her confession was fabricated

The lawyer of the UK teen indicted for perjury over falsely claiming to have been raped by Israeli youths in Cyprus tells the Daily Mail newspaper that police threatened to detain her friends and refused to let her see an attorney

The 19-year-old British holidaymaker indicted for falsely accusing 12 Israeli teens of rape, claims the Cypriot police forced her to sign a fabricated confession, said the report in the Daily Mail on Monday.

 

 

The UK woman was arrested last week after she admitted to have made up the story about being sexually assaulted by the Israelis at a hotel in the Cypriot resort town of Ayia Napa on July 17. The Israeli youths were freed shortly after and returned to Israel to a heroes’ welcome.

 

The UK woman brought before court in Cyprus (Photo: AFP)
The UK woman brought before court in Cyprus (Photo: AFP)

 

The woman’s lawyer, Michael Polak, said the police threatened to arrest her friends if she refused to retract her initial complaint and denied the teen from seeing an attorney.

 

"The confession was obtained under oppression given the threats made," Polak told the Daily Mail. "She was not cautioned and was not given access to a lawyer as was her right under the European Convention on Human rights. Further, the teenager was not told she could leave the police station nor given the option of leaving at any point."

 

The attorney also spoke to a British tabloid The Sun, where he bemoaned the fact that 19-year-old woman's confession was not recorded as is required by the UK law.

  

The Sun also obtained several text messages the Briton sent to her friends while in custody, where she said the officers were threatening her and wouldn't allow her to speak to anyone.

 

Text messaged obtained by The Sun (Photo: The Sun)
Text messaged obtained by The Sun (Photo: The Sun)

 

"They've honestly made me sign false ... They think it's a conspiracy and they threatened an international arrest warrant to arrest you all for it," read one of the messages.

 

A Cyprus court indicted the British teen for perjury and offending public sensibilities last Tuesday and she could face a year in jail if found guilty. The case was adjourned until August 7.

 

"The complainant once again has no problem changing her version of events,” said attorney Nir Yeslovich, who represents four of the suspects, in response. “Based on my knowledge of the Cyprus investigative authorities, it’s clear the complainant again proposed a false version without any evidence.”

 


פרסום ראשון: 08.05.19, 09:09
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