Filenews 7 June 2025 - by Michalis Hatzivasilis
Changes are taking place in the operating model of juvenile prisons with a total overthrow, since from the "everything in the private sector" of Ionas Nikolaou, we have reached "almost everything in the public sector" under the ministry of Marios Hartsiotis.
The procedures for the changes to the regulations as requested by the Parliament are ongoing and were recently approved by the Council of Ministers in order, after being studied by the Legal Service, to be brought to the Parliament. The legislative framework for the establishment and operation of juvenile prisons has been voted and there should already be structures for the detention of people up to 21 years of age outside the Central Prisons. However, due to the problems that arose regarding the operating model of the space, the Parliament extended the application of the law for 1/1/2026, which is considered doubtful whether it will apply.
Initially, the regulations prepared by the then Minister of Justice, Ionas Nicolaou, and later brought to Parliament, concerned a model that would operate and be managed by a private individual. The private individual would build the juvenile prisons and operate them himself. In the discussion of the issue, following a disagreement between AKEL, it was decided that the security of the area is the responsibility of the state, i.e. the Central Prisons, since we will be talking about convicts from now on and everything else will be left to the private sector: That is, food, cleanliness, education and medical care.
However, during the discussion of the regulations by article, objections arose from other MPs, as well as from the Commissioner for Child Protection and organizations, especially for medical care and education. After discussions, it was finally decided that the safety of the space, the provision of medical care, education and monitoring of children by psychologists and social workers, is done by the state services and the private individual is limited to feeding and cleaning the space.
The new regulations are expected to be sent soon to the Parliament or, if necessary, to incorporate the changes to the existing regulations in the new article, in order to save time.
Regarding the space that will be converted into a "children's detention facility", the Minister of Justice and Public Order, Marios Hartsiotis, told "F" that immediately after the construction of the space was assigned to the state and due to the pressure of time, it was decided that the Mennogeia detention center will be converted into a child detention facility, since the immigrants who currently reside there will be transferred to the space that is being erected in "Limnes" which, It is also located in the same community. The children's detention facility, Mr. Hartsiotis explained, will meet all the standards set by Europe and of course will not resemble the cells we all know. It will be child-friendly and according to the decision of the Council of Ministers, the detention facilities for suspected minors will also be formed next to it.
Now, there is a race so that, as soon as the immigrants move to the "Limnes", the work to convert the current detention centers into juvenile prisons will begin. Today, minors up to 21 years old who are convicted by the Children's Courts are detained in a separate wing in the Central Prison.
