Trial gets suspended jail term in Cyprus

Reuters, Cyprus :
A British teenager accused of faking a gang rape allegation was given a suspended sentence by a court in Cyprus on Tuesday in a case that prompted a rare rebuke from Britain and protests from activists who say she did not get a fair trial.
The 19-year-old says she was coerced by police into dropping a complaint that she was raped by a group of Israeli youths in the holiday resort of Ayia Napa in July. She was convicted on Dec. 30 of public mischief over the withdrawn rape report.
Dressed in black and standing silently before the judge in a packed courtroom, the woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was sentenced to four months in jail, suspended for three years.
Raising his voice over chants from supporters of the woman outside, Judge Michalis Papathanasiou said the sentence took into account her age, clean criminal record and remorse, and that he was giving her a “second chance”.”All mitigating factors were taken into account but it does not negate the seriousness of the offence,” Papathanasiou said, noting that 12 individuals had been briefly detained on the basis of her accusation.
Police ordered window blinds in the courtroom to be pulled down to block the sight of about 150 protesters who shouted slogans like “Blaming the victim is the second rape” and “Cyprus justice, shame on you”.
“We are here to raise social awareness of rape. There is no justice here,” said Dana Salmon, one of almost 60 activists from Israel who had flown in to support the woman.
Lawyers say the woman is suffering from post-traumatic stress and will appeal to clear her name.