Police Spokesman Christos Andreou, in a statement to KYPE, answers the questions posed in a letter co-signed by eleven NGOs in relation to the case of the 19-year-old British woman who is accused in court of public harm.
Mr. Andreou states that the Police, from the first moment, investigated the incident with all seriousness and sensitivity, appointing for this purpose an investigative team of TAE Famagusta. The case, he added, has been registered and is under trial before the District Court of Famagusta, while the accused has been released on conditions set by the Court.
Regarding the issue of the report of the accused in film and photo coverage by the media at the Court, Mr. Andreou states that the Police has already, in a letter dated 14/8/2019, requested a change of the place of trial of the case, especially For this reason. A request which, as he notes, has been reinstated by the Police very recently.
He further notes that this issue appears to have arisen due to the premises of the Famagusta District Court, which is co-located with private companies.
Regarding the manner and conditions of interrogation and taking testimony by the accused, he states that any allegations will be judged by the Court before which the case is before.
Furthermore, in relation to the implementation of a protocol for the management of such cases by the Police, it states that there is a Police Order in force for the handling of cases of gender-based violence against women.
Finally, he states that the Police has set as its main priority the protection and respect of human rights, having, among other things, co-signed, as early as 2017, relevant memoranda of cooperation with fifteen Non-Governmental Organizations, including the Organization for the Protection of Victims of Sexual Violence and Exploitation "STIGMA", the organization ACCEPT - LOATI Cyprus and the Association for the Prevention and Response to Violence in the Family "SPAVO".
The letter of the organizations
A letter to the Attorney General and the Police is sent by various organizations in Cyprus, asking, among other things, for the suspension of the prosecution of the 19-year-old British woman, who is accused, since last July, of making a false complaint for rape.
In their letter, the organizations speak of "unprecedented deportation of the 19-year-old". "Her inadequate protection from media exposure, her prolonged suffering from the judiciary, but also her allegations of unacceptable treatment by police officers who received her initial statement at the Famagusta Police Department, raise serious questions, both for the Chief of Police. as well as the Attorney General of the Republic ”.
They initially ask for the immediate intervention of the Attorney General, "for the termination of the suspect's ongoing exposure to cameras and photographs of the media and even passing outside the Famagusta District Court".
They also demand that she seriously consider suspending her prosecution, withdrawing all charges against her and releasing her immediately.
Finally, on the occasion of this case, they request that both the Attorney General and the Chief of Police proceed immediately to the following:
- Investigation of the way in which the Famagusta TAE secured the initial testimony of the 19-year-old British woman, in order to examine in depth and with the appropriate seriousness her allegations of ill-treatment by the Authorities.
- On the occasion of this case, to review the implementation of the Protocols for the Management of Sexual Assault Complaints and the support procedures for the victims, both by the Police and by the Court. Regardless of the outcome of this case, what is apparent once again is the NON-EXISTENT IMPLEMENTATION OF ANY PROTOCOL in rape allegations.
The organizations emphasize that they intend to file a complaint to the Independent Complaints Investigation Authority regarding the above, "as there is an unprecedented deportation of a woman who, according to the Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus, is innocent until proven otherwise. At the same time, we intend to submit a complaint to the Committee on Journalistic Ethics on the way the case is presented to the media ".
They co-sign the letter
- Mediterranean Institute for Gender Studies (MIGS)
- Cyprus Family Planning Association (KSOP)
- Cyprus Equality Observatory (CIP)
- Socialist Women's Movement
- Women's Movement of Ecologists GYKO
- Hypatia Equality Foundation
- "STIGMA" Organization for the Protection of Victims of Sexual Violence and Exploitation
- Pancyprian Association of Single Parent Families and Friends
- AIDS and CY Checkpoint Support Movement
- Organization ACCEPT-LGBT Cyprus
- Association for the Prevention and Response to Domestic Violence (SPAVO)