A 28-YEAR-old Russian woman is in extremely critical condition after she was beaten to the brink of death by her husband, police said.
A Nicosia district court yesterday remanded her husband, a 29-year-old Greek Cypriot from Kaimakli, in custody for four days on suspicion of domestic violence and grievous bodily harm. He has denied all charges.
The woman, who was found in a comatose state and has been put on a respirator after being diagnosed with cerebral haemorrhage and abdominal haemorrhage, is believed to have been unconscious for 14 hours before being taken to hospital. She was taken into emergency surgery immediately after being admitted to hospital.
Reports said the mother of one was beaten by her husband during the early hours of Thursday after returning home from her mother-in-law’s house.
Apparently, the 28-year-old had had a few drinks on Wednesday night and after her husband fell asleep she went to visit his mother. When she returned home several hours later, it is unclear exactly what happened or why her husband became violent.
It is thought her husband told investigators that he didn’t touch his wife and that instead she hurt herself when she returned home in a drunken stupor.
Nevertheless sources told the Cyprus Mail the woman was a known victim of domestic violence and that the Social Welfare Services had been familiar with her case.
Association for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in the Family president Aliki Hadjigeorgiou said the tragic incident highlighted the alarming escalation of violence against women.
“As an association we condemn what has happened and express our sadness that the increase in violent cases has reached criminal levels,” she said.
Hadjigeorgiou said the woman’s condition was extremely critical and that she hoped she would pull through.
“We continually speak out and what we say goes on is a reality. It is tragic to get to this point. To beat a woman to death. It’s a very terrible thing. How much did he beat her to send her to her death? It’s horrendous.”
Hadjigeorgiou said if the woman did not pull through, it would not be the first time.
“We are deeply concerned about the escalating violence. It’s an anger that arms a hand that doesn’t stop beating until its victim is dead. As long as life and movement were in that woman he continued to hit her. It seems he only stopped when she stopped moving at all. It’s tragic,” she said.
