Cyprus Mail, Nicosia, 29 June 1956

Whipping of youths

Official figures

Sentences of whipping have been awarded under the Emergency Regulations to 91 youths between the ages of 15 and 18 and 10 youths between the ages of 12 and 14 during the past seven months.

The maximum and minimum number of strokes ordered by the courts was 12 and 3 respectively but the number actually delivered was 10 and 2 respectively.

One youth was not given the strokes ordered as the medical officer found him unfit, and 14 youths were given less than the number of strikes ordered by the courts.

These facts were given officially yesterday in a communique which also stated:

Whipping is not done with the "cat-o'-nine-tails" as alleged but is done with a light wooden cane about 2 ft. long. It is in fact of exactly the same nature as "school correction" administered in many parts of the world for breakers of school discipline.

Medical examination

Before sentences of whipping are carried out, youths receive a medical examination and whipping is done under medical supervision.

The physical effect of whipping is of momentary pain only -- it has no other physical effect on healthy boys.

It is considered by many authorities to be a more suitable punishment for youths than imprisonment!

Riot before bombing

Sentences of whipping in Cyprus are given for riot, stone throwing at Security Forces, unlawful assembly, etc., and in assessing the alleged "cruelty" of whipping it is worth remembering that a gang of youths who recently decoyed a Security Forces patrol into Ledra Street by staging a demonstration apparently did so in order that bomb throwers hiding on nearby rooftops could and did throw bombs which killed a soldier and wounded seven Greek Cypriots.

10 strokes of a light wooden cane for this type of unlawful assembly is considered by many people as unnecessarily light punishment.

Greek sources have recently issued propaganda leaflets which attempt to show the Cyprus Government and the Security Forces as barbarous floggers of children. They alleged use of the so-called "cat-o'-nine-tails", described as a whip branching off into nine slender lashes, "each one ending in a leaden knot".