Transgender woman repeatedly harassed in south Cyprus: faces death threats, violence

A trans woman was reportedly harassed repeatedly and also a victim of hate speech in south Cyprus.

The incident was reported to the Cyprus House human rights committee on Monday.

The complaint, which was filed to the police as well, was made known by NGO Accept, who was present at the meeting.

The group highlighted the case of a transgender woman in Famagusta who has reportedly faced frequent physical and verbal attacks, as well as threatening graffiti targeting her identity.

Speaking to the Cyprus Mail, Accept confirmed that the woman had her private property repeatedly vandalised with people entering her garden and writing hateful messages on her walls.

She has also been a victim of slurs shouted at her consistently.

One of the most recent described at the meeting is when vandals entered her property and spray painted “Go die” on her wall at her home in the Famagusta area.

Meanwhile, at the meeting, a representative from the justice ministry that deals with human rights, Aristos Tsiartas assured that consultations for a national strategy for LGBTI+ would start immediately.

A recent survey by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) found that LGBTIQ people in Cyprus face persistent discrimination, violence and negative social attitudes.

A total of 14% of respondents in Cyprus reported physical attacks within the past five years, slightly higher than the EU-27 average of 13%.