The rape complaint, for which the Republic of Cyprus was chastised by the European Court of Human Rights for violating key human rights, is set to be reopened, but the deputy attorney-general will not take part in the proceedings.
In an exchange of letters between the Law Office and the alleged victim’s lawyer the latter requested that Savvas Angelides be kept out of any proceedings. Angelides later said he would respect that request and not take part.
The court found serious flaws in the criminal investigation and criticised how the Law Office treated the 28-year-old woman who had made the rape allegation. ECtHR judges concluded that Cyprus breached articles 3, 8, and 14 of the European convention on human rights.
The state was ordered to pay the woman €20,000 in damages and €15,470 for legal costs, totalling €35,470.
The case stems from April 2021, when the woman reported that she had been raped in January 2011, at the age of 18. Police launched a swift investigation, and the case proceeded to the criminal court. But new testimonies and assessments later raised doubts about the consistency of her account.
These doubts formed the basis for deputy attorney-general Savvas Angelides’ decision in December 2021 to halt the prosecution.
Angelides told a press conference he intended to reopen the case, however on July 12 the woman through her lawyer said she wished that Angelides had no further involvement in the case.
The woman appeared rattled when she was summoned to give a statement to the police. However, on Wednesday, Angelides said he would withdraw from the case and a meeting would be scheduled with the attorney-general.
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