The Cypriot society was shocked when, shortly before the end of 2024, an unprecedented incident of homophobic assault became known. In the early morning of December 27, a 31-year-old man was the victim of an organized homophobic attack by a group of hooded men.
The victim arranged a date through a dating app. However, instead of meeting the person he expected, he ran into a group of 5-10 people whose faces were covered. After beating him, the intruders stole his mobile phone, wallet and car keys, damaged his car by puncturing all four wheels, and insulted him using obscene homophobic phrases.
After the attack, the 31-year-old victim’s friend took him to Nicosia General Hospital, where he was found to have bruises and injuries. The 31-year-old’s life is not in danger, but his psychological condition remains severe.
This incident is not a random event. Since the information became public, Accept LGBT Cyprus has received new complaints from members of its community about at least three other similar incidents that occurred before the December 27 attack. One emergency was so serious that the victim was forced to change his place of residence, fearing a new attack that could endanger his physical integrity.
It should be noted that the connection of the incident with the popular Greek TV series Maestro by Christoforos Papakaliatis caused a heated debate in Cypriot society, raising questions about a new trend of imitation, while, as the legal secretary of Accept, Mr. Stefanos Evagelidis, aptly commented, it seems that “Art imitates life.”
The rise in homophobic violence is not accidental. According to the vice president Accept Antonis Papageorgiou, since the pandemic period and after it, the number of such incidents has increased dramatically, either in the form of hate speech or in the form of attacks.
Accept members emphasize the need for the State and society to take responsibility both on a collective and individual level. In fact, by focusing on the role of the parties, it is said that it is their duty, regardless of the political beliefs they represent, to contribute to combating this phenomenon using all appropriate means and respecting human rights as defined in international law as well as within the EU, of which Cyprus is a member.
Similarly, Accept calls on all competent authorities to respect and fully implement the legal framework and national strategy of the State, including the criminal process.
In addition, the need for the Legal Service, courts and lawyers to reflect not only on the essence of cases of homophobic attacks, but also on the importance of the punishment that the perpetrators must bear in order to eliminate, rather than exacerbate, the phenomenon is emphasized.
Accept calls on members of the community and those who use dating apps in general to be especially careful and focus on the following points for their safety:
Identity verification
Choosing a public place
Informing friends
A source: omegalive.com.cy
https://cyprusbutterfly.com.cy/news/kipre-zafiksirovan-vsplesk-gomofobnyix-napadenij
