AFP and Reuters, PARALIMNI, CyprusA Cypriot court on Tuesday handed a British teenager a four-month suspended prison sentence after convicting her of falsely accusing a dozen Israeli tourists of gang rape. The teen has said that she was coerced into withdrawing her complaint that she was raped on July 17 last year by a group of Israeli youths in Ayia Napa, a holiday resort popular with teenagers. She fled in distress to her own hotel and was examined by an in-house doctor, who called the police. Twelve Israeli youths who were detained for questioning were swiftly released after the woman recanted her accusation. The case has drawn a harsh spotlight on Cyprus, which is popular with British vacationers, and calls to boycott the island.
