Court hearing for 13 Limassol rioters postponed

The court hearing for the 13 men on trial in connection to the racist riots in Limassol in September was postponed again on Monday and will resume on November 22.

A number of citizens outside Limassol criminal court held placards reading ‘they are not innocent, fascists in prison’ as the suspects aged between 16 and 50 arrived for their hearing.

Most of the 13 men had requested state legal aid, however their requests have not yet been approved. As a result, the hearing was postponed.

The 13 face charges including public incitement to violence and hatred, rioting, causing malicious damage, demolition of buildings by rioters, stabbing, assaulting police officers, causing grievous body harm and arson.

They were all released on conditions while one was returned to the central prisons, where he was serving time for another charge but had been out of jail during the riots with an electronic bracelet.

The riots took place in September when Middle Eastern nationals were targeted during a violent attack in Limassol against migrants while police stood by and did nothing.