A British teenager’s trial in Cyprus for falsely accusing 12 Israeli tourists of gang rape was postponed on Wednesday after her Cypriot lawyer requested, he withdraw from the case over differences with his client.
Andreas Pittadjis asked a Paralimni court to relieve him of his duty as the woman’s defence lawyer.
"There is a serious disagreement with the defendant on how to handle the case, so I ask for the court's permission to withdraw," said Pittadjis.
He did not elaborate on what those differences were when asked by reporters after the hearing, although the woman was expected to enter a plea on Wednesday.
The case was adjourned until August 19 to allow the 19-year-old British tourist to find a new lawyer, she will remain in police custody until her next court appearance.
The 19-year-old faces "public mischief" charges that come with a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a fine of around 1,700 euros.
The young woman, who was not named, was tearful after the lawyer handed her the case file and made an exit at the Famagusta District Court in Paralimni in southeast Cyprus.
She covered her face with the hood of her sweatshirt as she left the court and was put into a police vehicle.
Initially, the teenager had alleged that 12 Israelis raped her at the hotel where she was staying in the popular resort of Ayia Napa on July 17.
The tourists aged 15 to 18 were released last month after the woman was arrested on suspicion of "making a false statement about an imaginary crime", according to Cyprus police.
But the legal aid group Justice Abroad, which is assisting the teenager, claimed she did not voluntarily retract the rape allegation.
Michael Polak, a British barrister with the organisation, said in a statement she had been refused legal representation, despite requests and in contravention of the European convention on human rights.
The barrister said the apparent confession was dictated to her and investigators made clear that if she signed it she could return to her hotel, but if she refused she would be arrested.
Cyprus police spokesman, Christos Andreou, rejected the claims as “baseless”.
He said the woman freely asked to make a second statement in which she retracted everything that she had claimed in the first one.
