Guidance

Republic of Cyprus: information for victims of rape and sexual assault

Updated 31 August 2022

This information is provided to help British nationals overseas make decisions about whether and how to seek medical advice and attention; report to local police; and engage with foreign legal authorities following a rape or other form of sexual assault overseas.

For information on support available in the UK, see rape and sexual assault: returning to the UK.

First steps

It is your choice about what you do next, but this information may help you in coming to a decision. The most important thing is to make sure that you are as safe as you can be. You can:

• contact the international emergency number on 112
• contact your tour operator if you are travelling with one
• contact the British High Commission in Nicosia. The staff of the High Commission will be polite, patient, sensitive and non-judgmental, and can provide information on local police and medical procedures. Anything you tell them will be treated in the strictest confidence. They can contact your family or friends for you, if you wish

If you want to report the incident to the police in the Republic of Cyprus

If you are travelling with one, you can report the incident to your tour operator and ask them for assistance. Where possible and if you wish, the tour operator may accompany you to the police station as well as local hospital.

If you do not have a tour operator, the British High Commission will try to send a consular officer to support you, subject to availability.

If you approach the police directly, you can also ask them to inform the British High Commission.

For a crime to be investigated, you need to report it to the local police before you leave the country.

If you choose to report the crime, try to do so as soon as possible, so forensic evidence can be retained. Washing yourself or your clothes may make it difficult for the police to obtain forensic evidence.

If you change your clothes, think about taking those you were wearing to the police. You may wish to preserve evidence by retaining items such as condoms, toothbrushes, or texts.

You have the right to be accompanied by a person of your choice during your first contact with the police. You can request an officer of a particular gender although there is no guarantee one will be available. There should be English-speaking police officers, however you may also request for an interpreter when you initially report the crime. This may be another police officer.

You should:

• tell the police if you think you have been drugged
• insist you get a police report and request, in writing, a translation in English

You will not be requested to surrender your passport to the police, or prohibited to leave the country once the initial investigation is completed.

If you do not want to report the incident to the police in the Republic of Cyprus

The British High Commission can still help you. This includes helping you make arrangements to contact your insurance company, your family, travel back to the UK and/or provide you with information on local support in the UK or Cyprus. They can provide you with lists of English-speaking medical facilities, lawyers and translators and support groups.

It is your choice on whether to report the crime, but if you don’t report it, your case may not be investigated as there will be lack of forensic evidence.

If you choose not to report the crime, you will not be entitled to a forensic examination. However, you can still receive medical attention. Please read the section Medical treatment below.

If you want to report the incident to the police in the UK

It is possible to report the crime to police in the UK, although they cannot investigate It is possible to report the crime to police in the UK. However, it is for foreign police forces to decide whether to investigate a crime in their jurisdiction. UK police forces cannot investigate crimes committed overseas.

Foreign police forces can decide to request assistance from the UK police, but this cannot be guaranteed and is a very lengthy process. It can therefore be very difficult to guarantee justice without reporting the crime locally. Please see rape and sexual assault: returning to the UK after rape or sexual assault abroad for more information.

Reporting the crime in the Republic of Cyprus: what happens next

The police will ask you to make a statement about the incident including a description of the attacker(s).

They may keep any clothing or other evidence of the attack to present to a forensic examiner. The police should take you to the hospital for a forensic examination.

The medical examination: what to expect

Not all hospitals and medical centres treat victims of rape and sexual assault. Read the section Medical treatment below.

A forensic examination can be carried out at any state hospital, when requested by the police. This entails examinations of external injuries, swabs, DNA and testing for STDs.

Hospitals automatically report the results of forensic examinations to the police.

If notified in advance, a consular officer from the British High Commission may be able to accompany you to the hospital. Local tour operators should also be able to do this.

Medical treatment

Treatment for victims of rape and sexual assault is provided for free at the Gregoris Clinic of Larnaca General Hospital (this includes emergency contraception, as well as ‘Post Exposure Prophylaxis’ - a treatment that can prevent HIV infection).

HIV PEP medication needs to be taken within 72 hours of the incident for it to be effective. The NHS may be able to commence or continue the 28 day treatment on return to the UK.

You can purchase emergency contraception at local pharmacies, with a doctor’s prescription.

Emergency contraception needs to be taken within 72 hours of the incident for it to be effective.

If you have had medication administered overseas, you may wish to keep the label or make a note of the name of the medication, so that you let your local health provider know when you return home.

Police investigations in the Republic of Cyprus: what to expect

The police may take you to the scene of the crime, or where you think the attacker is located, to try to identify and arrest the assailant.

If a suspect is brought to the police station, you will be asked by the police to make an identification, at a later stage.

If the police make an arrest, the suspect will be taken before the public prosecutor within 24 hours from time of arrest. A trial date will be set by the judge. The suspect may receive bail, be remanded or remain.

You will most possibly be expected to go in front of the public prosecutor to make a statement. A lawyer will not be able to act on your behalf, or have access to your case notes.

Once the case is filed, you will be allowed to leave the country.

Trial procedures

You will be informed of the date you need to present yourself at court to give evidence. A lawyer will not be able to do so on your behalf.

The trial will be carried out in Greek, with the use of a translator where necessary.

You will not be required to be present at all court sessions, only the one in which you give evidence.

If you are required to attend a trial in Cyprus, the local public prosecutor may be able to assist you with accommodation and travel arrangements. Further special support may be discussed with the public prosecutor.

Depending on the complexity of the case and the number of witnesses, a case may take from 5 months to 3 years to come to trial and a decision be made.

Hiring a lawyer

A lawyer cannot act on your behalf during a criminal case. Following authorisation, a lawyer may be updated on the progress of the case and also file for a civil case too.

You can find a list of English-speaking lawyers based in Cyprus.

Communication with the public prosecutor

You should establish communication with the local public prosecutor.

Also, you should give your contact details to the local authorities, who will advise you of when you need to present yourself at court to provide evidence.

It is your responsibility to keep contact with the local public prosecutor so that you receive any updates on the progress of your case. In exceptional circumstances, the British High Commission may attempt to act on your behalf, however we cannot guarantee our enquiry to the local authorities will be accepted, as we are considered to be third parties.

Legal aid

There is no provision of legal aid in the Republic of Cyprus.

Sentencing

Sentences may carry punishment and/or rehabilitation.

Rape and sexual assault are criminal offences and can carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Sentences are governed by case law guidelines.

If the alleged perpetrator is not found guilty, they are acquitted and presumed innocent.

Compensation

The courts cannot order the offender to pay compensation for injuries or any other losses after they have been convicted in a criminal court.

A local lawyer can, however, file a civil case against them.

There is no state-funded compensation scheme to cover physical or psychological injuries suffered as a result of a violent crime.

Court procedures: what to expect

If a suspect is ordered to trial you will most probably be expected to testify in court, by returning to Cyprus. This is a decision to be made by the local prosecutor.

The local police has responsibility of informing you whether the case will proceed to trial. It is your responsibility to establish contact with the local prosecutor to be informed of the progress of the case. A lawyer cannot do this on your behalf, although your lawyer can assist with filing a civil case for compensation, where applicable.

The prosecutor may request the police to take additional statements from you or any witnesses.

You cannot stop legal proceedings if you later change your mind. However, you can make a statement to say you do not want to testify and the Attorney General may suspend the proceedings. This may have legal consequences for you.

The alleged assailant can press counter charges claiming false accusations, provided they can produce evidence of the alleged false accusations.

Through the criminal proceedings, the courts cannot order the offender to pay compensation for any injuries or losses, unless a civil case has also been filed by you.

There is no state-funded compensation scheme to cover physical or psychological injuries suffered as a result of a violent crime, which may apply to foreign or local nationals.

When you return home to the UK

You may want to let your GP or a sexual assault referral centre know what has happened to you so that you can talk about the experience and seek further support and advice.

If you believe you may be at risk of having contracted a sexually-transmitted infection (STI), you should ask your local health provider to test you, even if you have been tested in the country that the assault took place in.

Getting further help in the Republic of Cyprus

It is your choice to let people know. If you are ready to talk about it the following organisation may be able to help you:

STIGMA (Organisation for the Protection of Sexual Abuse and Exploitation)
P.O. Box 53687, 3317 Limassol, Cyprus
Tel. 00357 25109139

Disclaimer: This information is provided by the British Government for the convenience of enquirers, but neither His Majesty’s Government nor any official of the Consulate accept liability for any loss or damage which you might suffer as a result of relying on the information supplied. This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or legal advice.

Medical information has been provided by The Havens Sexual Assault Referral Centres of Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and The Rowan SARC NI and was accurate at the time of production.