Two children have been temporarily removed from their parents’ custody after they were being forced to beg in Larnaca.
As reported by Phileleftheros, the children, a boy aged 13 and his 11 year-old sister, are from another EU country and moved to Cyprus five years ago.
The children, who are now being cared for at an orphanage, told the police and Welfare Service their father made them go out to beg and would beat them if they did not take back what he considered to be a satisfactory amount of money.
The children also said their mother forced them to collect cigarette butts from cafes for her to use to make more cigarettes. Again the children would be beaten if their parents’ requests were not satisfied.
This appears to have been the second time the children had come to the authorities’ attention. According to Phileleftheros, a short while ago, the children were spotted begging but the authorities did not pursue the case beyond a Welfare Service official telling them not to do it again.
The parents are now under investigation for people trafficking and domestic violence.
Cyprus Weekly