Dialogos

Phytiris Announces Measures for Central Prisons and Proposals for New Facility

Published January 20, 2026, 06:03
Phytiris Announces Measures for Central Prisons and Proposals for New Facility

The Minister of Justice, Kostas Phytiris, announced that he will present a plan of measures to address problems in the Central Prisons by the end of March. These measures include the operation of a mobile phone signal jamming system and support for prison guards. Simultaneously, the minister proposes the construction of a new correctional facility outside urban areas, instead of expanding the existing prisons. The Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights expressed concerns about the working conditions of prison guards, security, and the role of the underworld within the prisons. Rita Supermann, a DISY MP, emphasized the need to take responsibility for the escalation of problems, while Irene Charalambidou, an AKEL MP, expressed concern about the situation. The Minister acknowledged overcrowding as one of the most significant problems, as well as the coexistence of petty and serious offenders. He informed the committee about actions such as the deportation process for illegal workers (excluding serious crimes) and the expansion of electronic monitoring and presidential pardons. However, he admitted that deportations would not fully solve the overcrowding issue. According to the Deputy Director of Prisons, Maria Siali, the Central Prisons currently house over 1140 inmates, 53% of whom are foreign nationals. Additionally, 20 inmates are wearing ankle monitors, 35 are outside the prisons under supervision, 27 are in the open prison, and 20 are at the Extra-Institutional Employment Center. There are also 20 women held in the prisons, as part of a total of 80 women in all prisons.