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Suspects behind Turkish Cypriot woman’s attack to face court hearing on July 6 (Updated)

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A trial for two Greek Cypriot suspects that beat 25-year-old Turkish Cypriot Asya Karaali last weekend in Ayia Napa is set to start on July 6, the Famagusta district court decided on Thursday.

The remand of the two suspects, 22 and 30, expired on Thursday, and it was decided in court that they would be released until the start of their trial.

The two individuals are facing charges of assault and causing grievous bodily harm.

According to information from CNA, so far nothing has emerged in relation to a racist motive in this incident.

Police investigations to identify the third person, who appears to have been with the two suspects in Ayia Napa during the attack, continue.

Efforts are being made to identify the third person who was seen, from the footage obtained from the area’s CCTV surveillance.

On Wednesday, Karaali gave testimony about the incident to the police, which occurred near the church of Ayia Napa.

Karaali had gone to Ayia Napa with her friends for a night out, when the two Greek Cypriots approached her, and an argument broke out between the two groups.

The two men then attacked the 25-year-old woman, who fell from a wall of 2-3 metres high and injuring her.

On Wednesday, President Nikos Christodoulides said he would not be fuelling nationalist fires over the attack on a 25-year-old Turkish Cypriot woman.

Speaking to reporters at an event in Paphos, he said those who believed Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots could not co-exist together were disputed by history and would be proven wrong by the future.

Meanwhile, police had identified a third man in connection with the incident part of Karaali’s friend group.

Appearing in court on Thursday, the judge said that the man would not be charged criminally but would have strict recommendations made to him by the police.

The man was seen to be taking an object resembling a club out of his car boot on CCTV and other footage scrutinised by the police.

The man was located and admitted to possession of the club and has been charged for possession of an illegal weapon, which has been confiscated as evidence, police said.

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