UK Press Report on Cyprus Rape Case Appeal to be Heard on Thursday 16 September 2021
This week the United Kingdom press has covered the Supreme Court appeal in the Cyprus Rape extensively with quotes from Justice Abroad’s Michael Polak who is representing the woman.
Justice Abroad has assembled an expert legal team comprising of Lewis Power QC, a top barrister from Church Court Chambers at the English Bar of the senior rank of Queen’s Counsel, Cypriot lawyer Nicoletta Charalambidou, an experienced human rights advocate, and Ritsa Pekri, a criminal law expert.
Recent press coverage of the appeal, which will be heard in the Supreme Court of Cyprus, included an interview with the woman involved in the Daily Mail. The Sunday Times also covered the appeal and quoted Justice Abroad’s Michael Polak who stated that this maybe ‘the most important case the island has witnessed in a decade and will determine whether basic fair trial guarantees such as the right to be represented by a lawyer, and to a fair trial, are protected in Cyprus.’
The Telegraph carried an explanation from Michael Polak that, ‘for as long as it [woman’s conviction of public mischief] stands, it will ruin the future of the young woman from Derbyshire because it will come up every time she applies for a job.’ And that ‘It will determine whether basic fair trial guarantees such as the right to be represented by a lawyer, and to a fair trial, are protected in Cyprus…The retraction statement should never have been admitted because she wasn’t given a lawyer…There was a case in Limassol in which police took a confession from a youth but without giving him a lawyer. The European Court of Human Rights found against Cyprus in that case so there is a precedent.’
Mr Polak also told the Telegraph that at the initial trial in 2020, when the legal team tried to present DNA evidence of the rape, the Judge [Michalis Papathanasiou] continuously shouted, “This is not a rape trial” and refused to consider the evidence. Finally, the Telegraph emphasised Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary’s , concerns he raised last year and quoted him saying that there were, “clear questions around the due process and the fair trial safeguards” in the case, adding that he had “very serious concerns” about the teenager’s treatment.
The woman’s legal team hope that the legal principles will be applied at the Supreme Court but have committed to taking the case to the European Court of Human Rights if unsuccessful in Cyprus.
The appeal will take place before the Supreme Court of Cyprus in Nicosia on 16 September 2021 at 9.30 am.
Any requests for comment on behalf of the woman or her family can be made by contacting Justice Abroad by email contact@justiceabroad.co.uk
There has been a Go-Fund-Me page set up to assist the woman pay her legal fees, donations can be made here - https://www.gofundme.com/f/Help-Teen-Victim-Get-Justice-In-Cyprus
The full articles can be found here:
The Daily Mail 10 September 2021
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9979073/British-teen-jailed-Cyprus-crying-rape-aged-18-reveals-nightmares-suffers.html
The Sunday Telegraph, 12 September 2021
https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-sunday-telegraph/20210912/281960315874645
The Telegraph 13 September 2021
Notes to Editors
Justice Abroad, www.justiceabroad.co.uk has been set up to help those trying to find their way through foreign justice systems with all the associated hurdles that presents, to represent those facing gross breaches of their human rights no matter where this takes place, and to advise and assist the victims of crimes as to how to achieve justice.
Justice Abroad, run by international lawyer Michael Polak, has assembled a team of top investigators, lawyers, and support staff to provide unparalleled support, advice and guidance, legal, advocacy, and investigatory service for your Justice Abroad issues anywhere in the world. The Justice Abroad team with their trusted international pool of experts, their networks, and media contacts and their well-documented determination to leave no stone unturned in the search for the truth and justice are here to provide that much needed support for families and individuals in their time of need.