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2012 Paros beating and rape

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The 2012 Paros beating and rape of a teenage girl on the island of Paros, Greece by Ahmed Waqas (alternate names reported including Ahmet Vaka, Ahmet Bakas, and Ahmet Vakash)[1] The case attracted widespread attention due to the fact the victim, who was usually referred to in the Greek press solely by her first name "Myrto" (Greek: Μυρτώ), suffered substantial injuries resulting in permanent disability.[2]

The event

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On 23 July 2012 a teenage girl, Myrto Papadomichelaki (Greek: Μυρτώ Παπαδομιχελάκη), was found partially clothed, beaten and in a coma, on one of the most popular beaches in the Greek island of Paros.[3] Her head had been struck with a rock.[4] The authorities ordered the girl to be transferred to a hospital in Athens.[5][6] At first, police treated the incident as an accident, however, when a forensic specialist from Athens, Dr. Nikos Kalogrias announced that he had found semen on the girl's body, the focus of the investigation changed to rape and assault.[5][7]

Suspects

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According to the police report, initial suspects were 12 men, Greeks and foreigners, who either worked by the beach and the crime scene or had been seen by witnesses in the area. As the investigation continued, the suspects were narrowed down to four and police concluded, with the help of eyewitnesses, that the suspect was a man who worked by the crime scene.[8] Specifically the mother of the teenage girl reported that she saw a man, wearing white trousers and a colorful shirt, walking away from the crime scene. Ahmed Waqas's co-workers said that he was wearing this kind of clothes at work the day of the incident. However, Ahmed had already left the island to go to Athens, ostensibly because of the serious illness of one of his relatives.[8] Ahmed was picked up during a random check in Athens and DNA was used to identify him as the likely culprit.[9][10][11]

Perpetrator

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A few days later the police arrested Ahmed Waqas, in Nea Chalkidona, Athens. Police located him through his mobile phone and with the help of other immigrants.[12] Ahmed's DNA matched that found on the girl's clothes and body, after which Ahmed confessed.[12] Ahmed Waqas was reportedly calm and emotionless while describing the events of the crime to the police officers. As he stated, his first intention was to steal the girl's mobile phone but she tried to repel his attack. Then, he started beating her with a rock until she fell unconscious. While the girl could not fight anymore he raped her and then beat her again against the stones.[12][13] The perpetrator had been scheduled for voluntary repatriation to Pakistan at the time of the arrest.[14]

After his confession, Ahmed Waqas was taken to the island of Syros where he testified again before the district prosecutor. While the police accompanied him from the ferry to the prosecutor's office, passersby shouted slogans against him. After the initial trial, the perpetrator was discovered to have lied about his age in order to be tried and punished as a juvenile.[15]

Reaction

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In the days following the identification of the perpetrator, Nikos Dendias, the Minister of Citizen Protection, announced a crackdown on illegal immigrants in Athens. He deployed 4,500 police, who arrested 7,000 people in 72 hours. According to The Guardian, the trigger event was the crime on Paros.[16] Several news sources reported crimes against migrants in Greece as revenge, including the murder of an Iraqi man.[17][18]

Trial

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The defendant initially convinced authorities that he was a minor, he first reported having been born in 1991, then in 1993 and finally 1995. The trial was a national news story in Greece.[19] Waqas was sentenced to "a life sentence for the robbery, 18 years in jail for the attempted murder, 18 years in jail for the rape and three months in jail for illegal employment".[3][20][21]

Victim

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A substantial sum was raised by the Greek public to pay for the victim's medical care.[22] As of October 2012, the teenage girl was out of the coma and was working to regain her strength and abilities in a rehabilitation center.[23][24] Three years after the attack, she remained unable to walk or to feed herself.[2]

Andreas Lykourentzos, Greek Minister for Health, announced in May 2013 that the victim would be transferred to a hospital in the United States to undergo advanced treatment at the expense of the Greek government.[25] A decision continued by Greek Minister for Health, Adonis Georgiadis.[26] Nevertheless, private funds were required and the money was raised by the Greek-American community in the United States to fund Myrto Papadomichelaki's treatment at Harvard's Children's and Spaulding Hospitals in Boston.[27][28][29][30]

In December 2017, the victim's mother sued the Greek state as the €730 monthly allowance she was receiving was not enough for medical bills. The compensation could not be taken from the perpetrator due to a lack of a bilateral agreement with his country.[31] The lawsuit was rejected by the Administrative Court of First Instance and the Administrative Court of Appeal on the basis of the state not being responsible for the actions of illegal migrants as claimed in the suit.[32] In May 2021, in response to the lawsuit's failure, the Boeotia Police Union began paying the victim's living and medical costs.[33]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Tsiliopoulos, E. (13 November 2013). "Omogeneia Rushes to Aid Myrto". New Greek TV. Archived from the original on 13 August 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2015.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. ^ a b "ΣΥΓΚΛΟΝΙΖΕΙ η μητέρα της Μυρτώς: "Ήταν εντελώς παραμορφωμένη.Δεν έχω δει άνθρωπο έτσι"". Star. 7 May 2015. Archived from the original on 11 August 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Life sentence and 25 years jail for near-fatal assault and rape of teen girl Myrto". ANAMPS.gr. 28 January 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2015. [permanent dead link‍]
  4. ^ Labropoulos, Vasilis (7 August 2012). "Δράκος της Πάρου: "Της έλιωσα το κεφάλι με μια πέτρα πέντε κιλών"". Tovima. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  5. ^ a b Gr Reporter, (2012). 15-year-old tourist on Paros Island beaten and probably raped. Retrieved from: http://www.grreporter.info/en/15yearold_tourist_paros_island_beaten_and_probably_raped/7415.
  6. ^ "Die Urlaubsinsel Paros und die Kykladenmafia". Heise. 17 August 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  7. ^ "So wurde ein illegaler Einwanderer zum Vergewaltiger von Paros". 1 September 2012. Archived from the original on 4 January 2017. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  8. ^ a b Gr Reporter, (2012). 21-year-old Pakistani sought for the brutal rape in Paros. Retrieved from: http://www.grreporter.info/en/21-year-old_pakistani_sought_brutal_rape_paros/7424.
  9. ^ "Man arrested in connection to brutal rape of teen". Kathimerini. 4 August 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  10. ^ "Police question suspect over brutal attack on Paros". Kathimerini. 3 August 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  11. ^ Βασίλης, Λαμπρόπουλος Βασίλης (5 August 2012). "Ποιος είναι ο "Δράκος της Χρυσής Ακτής"". To Vima. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  12. ^ a b c , Keep Talking Greece, (2012). Paros: Police Arrests Assaulter of Teenager Girl; Illegal Immigrant from Pakistan Confesses the Crime. Retrieved from: http://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2012/08/04/paros-police-arrests-assaulter-of-teenager-girl-illegal-immigrant-from-pakistan-confesses-the-crime/.
  13. ^ Διονύσης, Βυθούλκας (6 August 2012). "Κρίθηκε προφυλακιστέος ο 19χρονος Πακιστανός για την κακοποίηση της 15χρονης". To Vima. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  14. ^ "Paros rape suspect was due for deportation, says police". Kathimerini. 6 August 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  15. ^ "Η Μυρτώ σε κρίσιμη κατάσταση - Ο πακιστανός συνεχίζει τις πολυτελείς διακοπές Διαβάστε περισσότερα". Xryshayg. 15 May 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  16. ^ Smith, Helena (7 August 2012). "Greek crackdown on illegal immigrants leads to mass arrests". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 April 2021. On Tuesday anti-immigrant fervour grew following the prosecution of a Pakistani who appeared in court accused of assaulting a teenage Greek girl on the Cycladic iIsle of Paros.
  17. ^ "Racist attacks increase: Iraqi stabbed to death in Athens". Keep Talking Greece. 13 August 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2021. Attacks on immigrants by assailants on motorcycles revived last week, after a Pakistani was arrested for having severely injured and sexually abused a 15-year-old girl.
  18. ^ Fotiadis, Apostolis (29 August 2012). "Irregular Migrants Face the Boot in Greece". IPS News. Retrieved 18 April 2021. On Jul. 23 the rape and attempted murder of a 15-year-old girl on the island Paros by an irregular Pakistani worker outraged the public. In a wave of attacks against foreigners that followed the event, an Iraqi migrant was beaten and stabbed to death by five hooded youngsters Aug. 12.
  19. ^ "Trial to start over brutal 2012 attack on teenage girl in Paros". Kathimerini. 28 January 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  20. ^ "Man gets life for brutal teen assault on Paros". Kathimerini. 28 January 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  21. ^ Karathanou, Helen (28 January 2014). "Τα ισόβια στο τέρας δεν έκλεισαν τις πληγές της Μυρτούς". Protothema. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  22. ^ Kalmouki, Nikoleta (14 November 2013). "33,000 Dollars for Myrto's Recovery Raised in Record Time". Greek Reporter. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  23. ^ iNews, (2012). Αμετανόητος και προκλητικός ο πακιστανός δράκος της Πάρου!.. Η δύσκολη μάχη της 15χρονης για τη ζωή.... Retrieved from: http://www.inews.gr/135/ametanoitos-kai-proklitikos-o-pakistanos-drakos-tis-parou-i-dyskoli-machi-tis-15chronis-gia-ti-zoi.htm Archived 2013-10-04 at the Wayback Machine .
  24. ^ "Πάρος: Οι γονείς της Μυρτούς ψάχνουν 400.000€ για το ταξίδι της ελπίδας στις ΗΠΑ!". Newsit Greece. 15 May 2013. Archived from the original on 4 January 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  25. ^ "Teenage Paros rape victim to receive specialist treatment in US". Kathimerini. 28 May 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  26. ^ Zikakou, Ionanna (14 November 2013). "Greek-Americans Rush to Help Myrto Papadomichelakis". Greek Reporter. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  27. ^ "ΤΗΣ ΟΜΟΣΠΟΝΔΙΑΣ ΒΟΣΤΩΝΗΣ ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΜΥΡΤΩ" (PDF). Proini. 12 January 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 June 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  28. ^ Kalmouki, Nikoleta (3 January 2014). "Where Is the Money Collected for Myrto?". Greek Reporter. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  29. ^ "Πρώτη έξοδος από το νοσοκομείο της Βοστόνης για την 16χρονη Μυρτώ". To Vima. 22 November 2013. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  30. ^ "Στην Ελλάδα επιστρέφει η Μυρτώ που κακοποιήθηκε στην Πάρο". To Vima. 21 January 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  31. ^ Tsiliopoulos, E. (5 December 2017). "Myrto's mother sues Greek state for abandoning her daughter". New Greek TV. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  32. ^ Kokkali, Vasiliki (26 April 2021). "Μυρτώ της Πάρου: Το κράτος δεν θέλει να την αποζημιώσει". Protothema (in Greek). Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  33. ^ "Στο πλευρό της Μυρτώς οι αστυνομικοί της Βοιωτίας" (in Greek). Athens Voice. 20 May 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
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