Police have arrested an elderly British couple in connection with an unprovoked attack on an Iranian woman, 40, in Limassol after the incident was posted on social media.
The man and his wife, both 76, were arrested after disturbing video footage showed the couple hitting a woman and pulling her hair. The victim is the mother of a three-year-old child.
She woman is understood to be an asylum seeker; the arrests followed migrant support group KISA uploaded the video on Twitter urging authorities to act.
The assault took place in Kato Polemidia, Limassol, and was recorded by a neighbour with a mobile phone.
The clip showed the elderly man, who is understood to be the woman’s landlord, punching her in the head multiple times.
The wife was at the scene, also striking the woman, but later appears to be trying to stop her husband from continuing the violence.
Προσεξε: τραβα την που τα μαλλια για να δια ππουνιες με το αλλο του χερι πανω στο κεφαλι. @SteliosPapathe2 Αναμενω αμεσα ενημερωση. Αμεσα. Εικαζεται οτι ειναι αιτητρια ασυλου. Ο κυριος χρηζει συλληψης, ενταλματα ξερετε να φκαλετε εξαλλου, ακομα τζαι ακυρα. Αναμενω. pic.twitter.com/liM3nfVsWi
— NikieZ (@NikiZarou) August 31, 2022
Reportedly, the assault was tied to an alleged dispute over delayed rents, while authorities appear to have been notified of the troubled relationship between her and the landlord.
Phileleftheros daily said the British couple had reported the woman to welfare services, accusing her of illegally occupying their property.
CyBC reported that the woman refused to pay the rent because she did not have electricity or running water.
Local media said that welfare services were working on securing alternative accommodation for the family.
The video clip went viral, causing outrage, with social media users recalling a similar incident just over a month ago in Larnaca.
In that case, a middle-aged Cypriot man was captured on video beating a 29-year-old African asylum seeker while she was on the ground holding her infant.
The Britons face charges of assault, illegal entry and abusive behaviour.
The couple were released on conditional bail of €10,000 each, to appear in court on 29 September.
Police told the court the 76-year-old woman had attacked the woman before the latest incident.
Eyewitnesses said she attacked the mum with a pair of scissors inside the home.
The victim visited the Emergency Room at Limassol General Hospital, where doctors determined she had a bump on her head, an eyelid laceration, abrasions, and blurred vision.
