ayia napa — A fourth 18-year-old has been remanded in custody for seven days in connection with the brutal assault of a 47-year-old Turkish Cypriot man in Ayia Napa. The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday, leaving the victim critically injured.
The latest suspect, who holds a Swedish passport and is of Chilean origin, was apprehended at Larnaca airport on Monday afternoon, just before he was scheduled to depart the country. This arrest follows the apprehension of three other individuals, also 18 years old, who were taken into custody earlier that day.
The victim remains in a critical condition, intubated and receiving treatment in the intensive care unit at Nicosia General Hospital. Initial reports circulating on social media suggested that he had succumbed to his injuries, prompting Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman to clarify the situation. In a Facebook post, he shared that he had contacted health officials, confirming that the man is still alive but in serious condition.
According to police reports, the assault unfolded outside a popular nightclub on Agias Mavris Street. The victim had been enjoying an evening out with a friend and became separated shortly after 5am. The confrontation, which escalated into violence, was captured on video, showing the young men arguing with the victim before he was punched and fell, hitting his head on the ground.
Police were alerted to the scene at 6am, where they found the man injured. He was subsequently taken to Famagusta General Hospital, where doctors discovered he had suffered a cerebral haemorrhage and a skull fracture. Due to the gravity of his condition, he was intubated and transferred to Nicosia General Hospital for further care.
Authorities have confirmed that all four young men seen in the video are now in custody. The individual identified as the puncher is expected to face more serious charges than the others once the case is brought before the court. The first three suspects, who also hold Swedish passports and are of Chilean, Albanian, and Iraqi descent, appeared in court on Tuesday and have been remanded for eight days.
