Cypriot society was shocked when, shortly before the end of 2024, an unprecedented incident of homophobic attack was reported. In the early hours 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 encountered a group of 5-10 people whose faces were covered. After beating him, the attackers stole his mobile phone, wallet and car keys, damaged his car, puncturing all four tires, and insulted him using obscene homophobic phrases.
Following 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 guy's life is not in danger, but his psychological condition remains serious.
This incident is not a random event. Since the information became public, Accept LGBT Cyprus has received further complaints from members of its community about at least three other similar incidents that occurred before the December 27 attack. One incident was so serious that the victim was forced to change his place of residence, fearing another attack that could jeopardize his physical integrity.
It should be noted that the connection of the incident with the popular Greek series of Christoforos Papakaliatis "Maestro" has caused heated debate in the Cypriot society, raising questions about the new trend of imitation, while, as Accept's legal secretary, Mr. Stefanos Evagelidis, very aptly commented, it seems that "Art imitates life".
The increase in homophobic violence is not accidental. According to Accept vice-president Antonis Papageorgiou, the number of such incidents, either in the form of hate speech or attacks, has increased sharply since the pandemic period and beyond.
Accept members emphasize the need for government and society to take responsibility at both a collective and individual level. In fact, 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 the fight against 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.
Likewise, Accept calls on all competent authorities to respect and fully implement the legal framework and national strategy of the state, including the criminal process.
It also highlights the need for the Legal Service, courts and lawyers to reflect not only on the merits of homophobic assault cases, but also on the importance of the punishment that perpetrators must face in order to eliminate, rather than worsen, the phenomenon.
Accept urges community members and those using dating apps in general to be especially careful and focus on the following points for your safety:
Verifying your identityChoosing a public placeInforming your friends
Finally, it should be noted that this sad incident concerns not only the LGBTI community of Cyprus, but also the entire society, and also serves as a reminder of where our society is in 2025 in terms of respect and protection of human rights. Violence and fear of citizens have no place in a society that wants to call itself democratic. It is everyone's duty to support victims of attacks of any kind for the sake of Cyprus, and also for the sake of a world with more security and less hatred.
Source: omegalive.com.cy
