Filenews 20 November 2024 - by Fanis Makrides
An African couple has been detained under the responsibility of the police for more than two months in one of the undesirable persons halls at Larnaka airport.
It is clear from this fact alone that there is an issue of inhuman treatment, as the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has clearly ruled that these places are only suitable for detention of a few hours.
Specifically, according to "F's" solid evidence, which is not denied even by the Cyprus Police, a man and woman of African origin arrived in Larnaka on a flight from Egypt on September 14.
However, after passport control they were not allowed to enter the Republic of Cyprus and were detained in the specific infrastructure of the airport. A situation which, as we have been informed, was valid until yesterday afternoon.
"F" contacted the police spokesperson, Kyriaki Labrianidou, asking for a position on the matter. As he informed us, the issue does indeed exist and that on the part of the Police and specifically the Aliens and Immigration Service, everything necessary is being done for the smooth living of the two persons.
He indicated that these were recognised political refugees in South Africa, but were refused entry due to national law and were therefore remanded in custody. He added that they immediately applied for asylum, but it was rejected by the Asylum Service. He explained that the couple appealed this decision to the competent authority and are awaiting the examination of their request.
Lambrianidou stressed that all actions are being taken by the Police to ensure that they are provided with the best possible conditions during their stay in the area and that they receive humanitarian treatment.
However, in the recent CPT report issued in 2024 and referring to findings made after an on-site visit in May 2023, points are made to the detention facilities at Larnaka airport and specifically to the fact that detainees do not have access to fresh air.
The problem is highlighted by clear references, as can be deduced from the following passage from the report: "As the Commission has already stated in its previous report, detention conditions in reception facilities at Larnaka and Pafos airports are only acceptable for the temporary detention of persons for a few hours. Unfortunately, the Cypriot authorities did not take the necessary measures to implement the CPT recommendation so that foreigners are detained in airport reception facilities for no more than 24 hours and, if this is not possible, transferred to appropriate detention facilities.
In their response to the 2017 visit report, the Cypriot authorities informed CPT that it was not possible to transfer these individuals to another facility outside the airport because they had been denied permission to land and enter the country. At the same time, the authorities made no effort to improve detention conditions at the two airports."
The recommendation made to the Cypriot authorities was to "take measures to ensure that foreigners deprived of their liberty in detention facilities at Larnaka and Pafos airports for a period exceeding 24 hours are transferred to another appropriate detention facility.
Furthermore, the Commission recommends that all legal safeguards offered to persons deprived of liberty be available, in a language they understand and in accessible formats, also for persons placed in short-stay facilities at the points of entry into Cyprus."
