British woman says Cyprus police forced confession that she wasn't raped

According to her lawyer, none of the procedures at the police station were documented.

A British tourist covers her face as she is escorted to a police car outside the Famagusta courthouse in Paralimni, Cyprus, July 29 (photo credit: YIANNIS KOURTOGLOU/REUTERS)
A British tourist covers her face as she is escorted to a police car outside the Famagusta courthouse in Paralimni, Cyprus, July 29
(photo credit: YIANNIS KOURTOGLOU/REUTERS)
The British woman who claimed that she was raped by Israeli youth in Cyprus claimed on Monday that the police forced her to sign a confession written them, without giving her access to a lawyer, according to Walla News.
The woman was held in the police station for eight hours until she signed the confession, and police reportedly threatened to arrest her friend if she didn't withdraw the charges.
"The confession was taken under pressure given the threats made," said the woman's lawyer. "They didn't warn her and didn't allow her access to a lawyer as was entitled under the European Convention on Human Rights. Furthermore, they didn't tell her that she could leave the police station and didn't give her the option to leave at any point."
A few minutes before she was charged, the woman sent her friend a message, saying, "This is crazy. They won't let me talk with anyone."
According to the lawyer, none of the procedures at the police station were documented.
"They honestly made me sign falsely," said the woman to her friend. "They think it's a conspiracy and they threatened to issue an international arrest warrant to arrest you all."
The woman's hearing has been delayed until August 7.
Originally,12 Israelis were arrested for the alleged rape that occurred in Ayia Napa, after she claimed that the suspect gang raped her in a hotel room. While admitting to have willingly gone there with one of them, she claimed that the other 11 showed up and raped her.
Three Israelis have admitted to having sexual intercourse with the girl, but claimed that it was done with her consent; the other nine denied having any physical contact with her.
Five of the Israelis were released a week before the other seven and allowed to return home, after the police received results of DNA tests and watched footage the Israelis took of the event.
"Go ask my girlfriend: I was with her, we have pictures together. I don't understand how they didn't check that," said one of the first five released.
Alon Einhorn contributed to this report.