A recent ruling by a Cyprus court has led to significant concern after it acquitted five Israeli men accused of raping a British woman in a hotel in Ayia Napa.

The three-member Assize court, acting as a district court in Paralimni, determined that the testimony provided by the 20-year-old woman was not credible, citing a lack of coherence and numerous contradictions in her account.

The incident is said to have occurred during a hotel pool party on September 3, 2023, where the woman identified the five men from a police line-up as her assailants.

The defendants, aged 19 and 20 at the time of the incident, pleaded not guilty to the allegations.

Following the court's decision, the woman's lawyer, Michael Polak, conveyed her emotional state, describing her as "really shocked, sad and distraught." He noted that she identifies as openly gay and has expressed that she had no interest in engaging in group sex with individuals whom she did not know and who did not speak her language, a point highlighted in the defense's arguments.

According to reports, the woman was highly distressed during her police testimony, asserting that she was forcibly taken and sexually assaulted in a hotel room.

Polak, director of Justice Abroad, has indicated plans to appeal the verdict to the Attorney General in Cyprus, arguing that a higher court should reassess the circumstances of the case.

He referenced a previous ruling by the European Court of Human Rights which criticized Cypriot law enforcement for their handling of a separate sexual assault case involving a British teenager, signaling ongoing concerns regarding the effectiveness of investigations into such claims.

While Polak stated that he is "not surprised" by the outcome of the trial, he emphasized the complexity surrounding the criticisms directed at the woman’s testimony, noting he has yet to see the complete judgment.

The situation continues to unfold, raising questions about the judicial process in cases of sexual violence.