UPDATE
For background see previous posts: Was a British Girl Raped by Twelve Young Israelis, British Girl Guilty in Cyprus Ayia Napa Rape Case and several back newsletters. The one for August has the most but there is some mention in July and November.
At last the British girl is free. She has her passport back and the family can go home and begin the process of healing.
I’m happy she wasn’t jailed but I’m still angry with the paternalistic and patriarchal judicial culture on display in Cyprus. According to the BBC, the judge was “troubled” about the case. He made this comment:
“All the evidence shows that she had lied and prevented the police from doing other serious jobs.Twelve people were arrested and seven of them were there for at least 10 days. That was also a serious offence.
Her psychological state, her youth, that she has been away from her family, her friends and academic studies this year,
This has led me to decide to give her a second chance and suspend the sentence for three years.”
This means that if the British girl commits no other offense and keeps her nose clean, she will not go to jail. She still remains under threat of jail or, in other words, under the judge’s thumb.
Judge Michalis Papathanasiou sounds just like my father and other men 50 years ago. To paraphrase his statement is to say that by accusing these nice boys of rape, the young woman took up his time along with the time of the Cypriot police and Attorney General’s office. She caused them the annoyance of having a trial. He feels the British girl is a liar but he’ll forgive her because, like many women whose menfok don’t sufficiently force them into submission, she’s a bit spoiled and more than a little insane.
Nir Islovich, one of Israeli boys lawyers, commented,
“What was important to us was that she would be convicted of the charges brought against her. That happened with full adoption of the facts as presented by my clients. As for clemency, we strongly oppose it and will act against it if she will not express genuine remorse.”
So Islovich is taking a hard stance. He would throw away the key. Is he seeking to set a precedent so that no other girl will have the courage to accuse anyone of rape again, not in Ayia Napa at any rate.
Defense for the girl isn’t finished. The British girl’s lawyers will continue in their attempt to clear her name. She did nothing wrong. They will appeal to the Supreme Court of Cyprus and if that has no effect, to the European Union.
I think about how this could have gone differently. If it weren’t for loving parents, Go Fund Me, a few good lawyers, masses of protests from women’s groups, international coverage of every nuance of her journey through the Cypriot court system, a promise of a pardon from President Nicos Anastasiades of Cyprus, and Boris Johnson’s comments, things might have gone differently. The Judge had very little leeway. I think he dearly wanted to slam her into jail.
Nicoletta Charalambidou, who heads the girl’s legal team, in a Guardian article, informed us before the sentencing trial that “A pardon [A presidential pardon] can only be given if he convicts her without suspension to a period of more than a month in prison.”
The British girl was alone in the beginning but she has a lot of friends now. She would be in jail now if it were not for all the people working for her release.
One group I was thrilled to see was a contingent of approximately 60 Israeli women led by Ruhama Weiss, an academic with the Hebrew College in Jerusalem, who traveled to Cyprus to demonstrate solidarity with the British girl at the courthouse. Women everywhere realize that the British girl’s nightmare could happen to anyone, whatever their social class, race, or country of origin. I searched the Israeli newspapers for how the nation was reacting. Would they stay with what appeared to be an initial defense of the boys or would they develop a more balanced view of what happened? They haven’t let me down. Thank you, Israeli women.
The women of Cyprus have been just as active. I think no one knew what to think when the rape was first reported. Violence against women, especially foreign women isn’t new. There was the case of a 35-year-old Army captain who was responsible for the rape and murder of 7 foreign women. The case went to trial last year and preceded the British girl’s rape by only a few months. This motivated women in Cyprus to create the Network Against Violence Against Women (NAVAW), the first women’s rights group to be formed on the island. From the protest they organized at the Famagusta District court it promises to be a strong organization.
In addition, Demonstrators in London marched from the Cypriot Embassy in St. James Square to Downing Street and the Foreign Office.
Cyprus and Ayia Napa should remember that 1 in 3 visitors to Cyprus are British. The British girl’s mother suggested a boycott of Cyprus if her daughter goes to jail. Apparently Dominic Raab, British Foreign Secretary, agrees. He has announced that travel advice for Britons going to Cyprus is under review.
Haaretz newspaper , a Jewish newspaper, reports that President Nicos Anastasiades of Cyprus” is expected to pardon the woman after the court will hand her sentence Tuesday, amid concerns voiced by British Foreign Ministry officials that the case was mishandled by local authorities.”
There have been some excellent wrap ups of the case. One of the best I have found is a podcast done by the Guardian newspaper. It had detailed information that was not available before now. I highly recommend it.
Update: Sunday, January 26, 2020
The British girl in an interview with The Sun, gives details of elements of her rape. She describes the boys as a “pack of wolves,” La Manada in Spanish. It’s becoming an all too common term. I am reminded of Rudyard Kipling’s poem, written in 1894 entitled The Law of the Jungle.
The Kill of the Wolf is the meat of the Wolf.
He may do what he will,
But, till he has given permission,
The Pack may not eat of that Kill.
I see Sam, the boy the British girl connected with, as the leader of the pack. In his mind, he had made a kill and he wanted to share with his pack. This is a common variant of a gang rape. One boy lures a girl into a compromising situation, a place where she is dependent on him for her safety. The boys had laughed about it earlier in the day. They intended to have an orgy with her. But Sam, the boy the girl wanted to have sex with, had different plans. He wanted to be a leader of the pack. He wanted to make this vacation memorable for his friends so he shared her, like she was an object that could be divided among them. She was not his to share but he didn’t get this. He didn’t consult the girl.
The British girl fought all the way and she walks away from this with her honor clean. It’s the boys who are guilty and they are the only ones deserving of shame. When I am confronted with certain gang rape situations where one boy procures a girl with the intention of sharing her with the rest of his friends, err wolves, coyotes, jackals, gang members, fraternity brothers, or team members, I see it as an ultimate betrayal. Sam, the boy who with a smile, a touch and a kiss lured a girl who liked him, who fell for him, into danger, and knowingly threw the door open to his buddies committed a premeditated crime and that crime is deserving of a stronger punishment than a simple rape. A boy who does that is a pimp and a trafficker in human flesh. I’d like to see them throw the book at him. But this player got off. He is back in Israel complaining about occasionally being called out. If he wants to be forgiven, fine. He should turn himself in, confess to the rape and let the rest of us get on with it. But for him, honor doesn’t exist. I won’t be waiting for it.
The British girl deserves an award for bravery. She crawled like a crab to get out of the room. She found her shorts and put them on. The door was jammed and the boys blocked her exit but she pushed through and ran into the hall then outside. She kept running behind the building with the boys behind her yelling, pumped up with the adrenaline of fear.
She slipped and fell on her head and elbow. She could hear them yelling as they caught up with her. All of them were shouting. Finally, someone heard them and came running up from the basement. He shouted at the Israelis and they backed off. He carried her down the steps to her friends.
The British girl can be proud of herself. Not everyone would have had the presence of mind to do the things she did to escape. She took charge. She may have been scared. She may have thought the world was ending but she did what she had to do to survive. She can be immensely proud of her behavior. I know that I am in awe.
There’s more. Watch the video.
April 14, 2020
I for one will be boycotting Cyprus, what kind of justice do they call this a kangaroo court, I think they must have a big connections with Israel ?? These boys must be brought to Justice
February 11, 2020
I won’t be called a liar: 4th para down, the young woman is reported to have had sexual relations with SY, but also with other members of the group…
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190729-cyprus-releases-israelis-accused-of-rape-arrests-british-accuser/
This does not mean group sex, for the avoidance of any and all possible doubt.
February 11, 2020
Matthew,
Did the British girl have sex with additional boys? None of us were there so we can’t say for sure. There are a lot of opinions being given like the 4th para you mention. It says someone said it. It doesn’t say it happened. I’ve seen this in other sources. This point doesn’t prove anything. It just means someone said that the girl or the boy said it. Whatever. We don’t know for sure. The girl has been honest. She hasn’t held back her truth. The truth it seems is that she was raped. It doesn’t matter what she did before that. If Sam had had sex with two other girls and was filmed doing it, it wouldn’t mean that he was a rapist either. Victims need not be virgins. You can be married, have had sex many times together but the one time the wife is forced to have sex is rape. The issue of whether or not the other event with 1 or 2 boys actually happened or not is irrelevant.
Hannah
February 11, 2020
Hannah, initial reporting of events by media often contain inaccuracies like this. Sometimes they are genuine errors and sometimes they are deliberate misinformation. The reality is when the case went to court there was no claim made by any of the investigators involved that the girl had admitted to having consensual group sex or consensual sex with anyone but SY.
On Twitter threads Matthew was arguing that the fact the accused had changed their stories several times about the night of the rape should be ignored. So you’ve got someone arguing we should frame and define our understanding of the case in terms of the victim agreeing to consensual group sex when it didn’t happen, while at the same time arguing we should disregard the accused changing their story which did happen. It doesn’t add up.
February 11, 2020
It is reported that she acknowledged that she had. The piece I reference along with others including AP and the Daily Telegraph, all seem to point to the 26 July, when the 7 suspects were having their detention extended.
For whatever reason, it was mentioned in court, apparently by “investigators,” which presumably means the police. I think it speaks against the suspects. Clearly, others view it differently. In any case, there are enough unresolved contradictions in this case, without trying to second guess the print media.
I’m not sure about your other points… I have already agreed that consent may not be inferred from prior sexual conduct. And I think it was me who made the point that chasteness/virginity/whatever was hardly necessary when considering whether a person was raped, or not.
Look, this is a storm in a teacup, as far as I am concerned. But I won’t be called a liar. I’m no longer on Twitter, which I thank God, or Allah, or Buddha for.
In short, it’s all good.
February 11, 2020
A claim that was completely debunked. The accused initially denied even knowing the girl let alone having consensual sex with her. There was absolutely nothing in any of the court documents or in the depositions of the investigators that stated the girl had said she consensual group sex. You have taken an obscure, inaccurate report made from several months ago and presented it as fact.
Again in your own words-
“THE FOLLOWING DAY Y AND 2 FRIENDS PRESSURE HER INTO SEX, when she had made it clear that she was only interested in Y.
What happened subsequently must be seen in this context, and to argue about the events of 17/7 in isolation is a mistake that too many fall into.”
Presenting fiction as fact. And quite frankly, your comments about supporters of the girl painting her as virginal are disgusting. It just reveals your agenda which is to masquerade as a supporter, while actually dropping false facts into social media dialogue about the case with the intent of spreading a false narrative about the promiscuity of the victim. Raising questions about the promiscuity of rape victims is one of the oldest tricks in the book.
February 10, 2020
Oh, one last thing: it is commonplace that there is no evidence that any consensual group sex took place, and i have never stated otherwise. I am happy to clarify that.
You have a narrative of your own, and you permit no deviation. This leads you into conflict, when it ought not.
It is not possible to undermine the young woman’s case: what you are concerned with is public perception, and that ship sailed long before I started to pay attention to the case.
February 11, 2020
From your initial comment here –
“The following day Y and 2 friends pressure her into sex, when she had made it clear that she was only interested in Y.
What happened subsequently must be seen in this context, and to argue about the events of 17/7 in isolation is a mistake that too many fall into.”
You are clearly presenting as fact, just like you were doing on Twitter, that consensual group sex occurred before the night of the gang rape. THIS IS TOTALLY FALSE AND THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THIS. There can be no other motivation for spreading this false piece of information other than to undermine the girl’s credibility.
My narrative and my concern are presenting the facts as known, and when I see someone spreading false information about the case I will flag it. Further, no ship has sailed in this case. The girl is home and safe, which was the immediate priority. But she is still fighting to clear her name and get justice for what happened to her. So flagging false information is just as important as it ever was.
Why don’t you tell us why your Twitter account was suspended? Was it for your comments such as “There is no such thing as a definitive rape conviction”? You were blocked by the other accounts set up to campaign for the girl, your Twitter account was suspended, and you have been spreading false information which raises questions about the girl’s promiscuity – there is simply no other reason for this than to discredit and undermine her.
February 10, 2020
Hannah, Matthew is spreading a false narrative that the girl has consensual group sex with some of the boys before the night of the rape. He was doing this on our threads under the Twitter name @holford_matthew, dropping this false narrative into comments that would otherwise appear supportive. There is no evidence that the girl ever had consensual group sex with any of the boys before or after the night of the gang rape, and the only reason for spreading this untruth can be to undermine the girl’s case. If you want to message me on Twitter or via email I can share screenshots.
February 10, 2020
Incidentally, the concept of “grooming” was one that I hadn’t considered, initially – I thought the thing had been a spontaneous, drunken assault. Then I perceived that there was a progression: first sex with SY, then he introduces his friends, and then on his final night in Cyprus, he arranges a gang rape. But it was someone else who pointed out the premeditation involved (something similar had happened to a friend). I read recently that the young woman has come to realize that SY had planned it from the outset, and as soon as I understood the significance of that video of 13/7, it became obvious what had happened.
Given my experience on Twitter, I don’t think that either side is being entirely truthful. And I don’t think the Cypriot authorities are “above board,” either. She’s a young woman, and of age: she may do what she wants, but trying to suppress information in order to have her look unrealistically virginal is just weird. Meanwhile, SY is just a rapist: pure and simple.
Matt
February 9, 2020
I think you’re only the 2nd or 3rd person I’ve come across who has identified that this young woman was groomed by Yusofov from the outset of the relationship…
The selfie video of 13/7, taken by Yisrael David, where Yusofov has her call herself a whore in Hebrew – a secret joke at her expense – which Y then shows to his friends, making it known that she is available for sex. The following day Y and 2 friends pressure her into sex, when she had made it clear that she was only interested in Y.
What happened subsequently must be seen in this context, and to argue about the events of 17/7 in isolation is a mistake that too many fall into.
February 9, 2020
Matthew,
Thank you for commenting. It brought up new information for me. As I read the comment, you mean that there was a video on July 13th. I haven’t seen it. Then on the 15th she is pressured into sex by Yusofov and 2 of his friends? Then there is the rape on July 17 by more boys, possibly a dozen? This still doesn’t make it right. It is still a gang rape. I know some will think she deserved it but it was still a rape plain and simple.
You mentioned grooming and there is certainly enough about grooming of young Manchester girls in the news right now in England. Brits should understand grooming well now. It is still new to people here.
I defend the British girl. She has been through hell and she made it through. Yusofov or Sam says the events “taught her a lesson.” Sam’s comments need unpacking. This is the kind of thinking we need to eliminate from the minds of all young men.
Hannah
February 10, 2020
Hello Hannah, @holford_matthew was appearing on threads about the case and dropping in this false piece of information – that the girl consented to sex with Yusof and 2 others under pressure before the night of the gang rape – into comments that would otherwise appear supportive. That never happened and there is no evidence that it happened. If you want to message me on Twitter I can send you some screenshots of the things that he was saying on Twitter.
February 10, 2020
Hi again,
The video of 13/7 is the one that circulated immediately after the Israelis returned home – Israel David is standing in the foreground taking a selfie, with SY having sex with the young woman in the background (she’s on top, with her back to the camera, apparently unaware she’s being filmed); it was ubiquitous on social media throughout December and most of January. Yes, according to the suspects’ testimony, they pressured (my word, not theirs), her into sex on 14/7 (not 15/7). I think they thought that it evidenced that she had consented, and given that she is reported to have confirmed sexual contact with the friends of SY, it seems that she thought she had consented, too. “Relented” would be more accurate, I think. In any event, as you say: consent may not be inferred from prior sexual conduct.
The only place I’ve seen this discussed is in an Israeli documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8Qzwqu-D78&feature=youtu.be. It seems that her supporters are not keen for this admission to sex with the friends to be widely known – I got accused of defamation and disseminating misinformation, and was ultimately hounded off Twitter, for example! I’m relaxed about that, incidentally!
What happened on 17/7 will probably never be properly known, but the idea that only Yusofov, or even Y and his two friends were the only ones to have sex with her that night is surely fanciful – it’s my understanding that at least 6 (and as many as 10) separate, male dna samples were recovered… Also, if you watch the documentary (nothing explicit in it), then watch out for the interview with Dr Sergios Sergiou, the hotel house doctor. He’s a solid, phlegmatic character (and he’s been working in Ayia Napa since forever – must have seen all kinds of debauchery!), and he seemed convinced that something had happened – I’m guided by him.
February 11, 2020
Yet again, there is no evidence at all which supports the claim that the girl had consensual group sex with these boys. Matthew is presenting some of the accused’s version of events, which also changed multiple times, as fact. And that has only one purpose – to undermine and chip away at the girl’s credibility and allegations. His twitter account was suspended as well.
July 22, 2021
I believe there are videos of her night circulating on the Internet, the men involved were definitely Israeli. The woman involved was definitely having consensual sex with these men and enjoyed it, she even recorded some of videos herself. My opinion is split on the validity of her statement as the videos, if genuine, would disprove her and put this case to bed.
July 22, 2021
Thanks for your comment. I have tried to be impartial since the beginning of this and I have to discount what you are saying. You say, “I believe there are videos of her night circulating on the internet.” You’re not sure. You don’t say there are videos. That’s not proof. These videos you’re talking about may or may not exist. You are taking a whack at her reputation based on air. That’s not fair. Perhaps you saw a hired actress in a pretend video. How did you identify the girl and how did you know the boys were Jewish.
The case was never tried in court as it should have been but the court of public opinion has tried the girl and it seems to have made a split decision.
I hope the British girl is well and getting on with her life. I wish her all the best. I ask why it is so important to you to drag her down? Why do you even bring this up?
Hannah
February 10, 2020
Hannah, Matthew is spreading a false narrative that the girl has consensual group sex with some of the boys before the night of the rape. He was doing this on our threads under the Twitter name @holford_matthew, dropping this false narrative into comments that would otherwise appear supportive. There is no evidence that the girl ever had consensual group sex with any of the boys before or after the night of the gang rape, and the only reason for spreading and presenting this untruth can be to undermine the girl’s case. If you want to message me on Twitter or via email I can share screenshots. His Twitter account has actually been suspended.
February 11, 2020
“She is reported to have confirmed sexual contact with the friends of SY, it seems that she thought she had consented, too.” This is no evidence whatsoever which supports this.
January 9, 2020
So glad she is going home and I hope that pardon comes through. Thank you for following this story.
January 9, 2020
Hi, read in the Globe yesterday that the British teenager in the Cypriot case received a suspended sentence of 4 months. She was free to go. While the travesty of her case was not cleared up, I am grateful that she is now free and can return to Great Britain. Thank you for bringing this case to light. It made a difference in the outcome.