Two Israelis Arrested in Crete on Suspicion of Raping a German Tourist
Two Israeli men in their 30s were arrested on Saturday in Crete on suspicion of raping a German tourist.
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The two are expected to appear on Tuesday before a judge to extend their detention on the Greek island. Israel's Foreign Ministry confirmed that the two have been arrested.
>> Read more: Sex-party boys cleared of rape in Cyprus get heroes’ welcome in Israel ■ Cyprus rape case: Israel's boys struck at dawn | Opinion
Attorney Gila Liber Golan, who represents the two, told Haaretz that they were arrested while vacationing there. "These are men in their thirties, serious, with jobs. They didn't hope for their vacation to end like this. They are not 17-year-old boys, they didn't come to Hersonissos in order to find a woman and rape her."
According to the suspects' attorney, the complainant had contacted the police 24 hours after the incident took place. "This is complete libel and I hope that in light of what we present to the court, their remands won't be extended," she said.
Golan also represented one of the Israeli man who were arrested in Cyprus on suspicion of gang-raping a British tourist in July.
In an interview with Channel 13 News, she said that "there is no resemblance between both cases. This is complete libel, which has no basis. There are witnesses who can vouch for us."
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The report comes some six weeks after 12 Israelis were arrested in Cyprus on suspicion that they raped a 19-year-old British tourist at a hotel in the resort town Ayia Napa. The Israelis were later released after the tourist told investigators that she filed the rape complaint because she was “angry and insulted” that a number of the boys, ages 16 to 19, had recorded a video of her having sex with some of them, which spread on social media.
In August, she said she was pressured by the Cypriot police to retract her rape allegations, and that she had been dictated the confession that she provided a false testimony. The British tourist said that local investigators had forced her to sign the confession and threatened that if she didn't, they would arrest her friends on suspicion of conspiring against the Israelis. Cyprus police denied the tourist's claims.