Filenews 2 December 2023
At an advanced stage of discussion in the competent committee of the Parliament, is the new Prison Law and the new corresponding Regulations submitted to the Parliament since May 2019.
As Justice Minister Anna Koukkidi Prokopiou told "F", the proposed new legislation completely reshapes the existing framework for serving sentences in prisons, which was established in 1996, focusing on human-centered serving of sentences under conditions of safety, order and respect for the human rights of prisoners. In fact, it makes prison legislation fully compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights and harmonizes our prison practices with the recommendations made from time to time by international and European organizations visiting Cyprus, such as the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) of the Council of Europe.
In particular, the new legislation:
-establish new instruments and mechanisms to make the conduct of prison proceedings more efficient and secure,
-integrates the two ways of serving a sentence outside prison, i.e. electronic surveillance and release on leave,
-fully enshrines the rights to individual treatment, support, care and treatment of detainees,
-enhances the possibilities of education, vocational training and work, as well as contact with the family environment, aiming at their social reintegration and preventing the risk of recidivism and return to prison.
It is important to stress, he adds, that the new legislation also takes into account the huge changes and challenges we face today due to overcrowding and the diversification of the composition of the prison population (e.g. increased numbers of foreigners, long-term inmates and sexual offenders).
Regarding this legislation, which is pending in Parliament, as well as a series of other bills submitted by the Ministry of Justice, Prokopiou asked the President of the Parliament yesterday to contribute to their immediate promotion.
Annita Demetriou assured the Minister of Justice that where and where needed, the House of Representatives will support all that needs to be done, "because for us justice reform, but also issues of justice, security and public order, is an absolute priority".
Prokopiou said that the aim of the meeting was to examine various pieces of legislation, which she highlighted as very important for the work of the Ministry of Justice and all its services, such as the Police, the Fire Brigade, the Prisons.
