Filenews 28 November 2025 - by Michalis Chatzivasilis
With the staff unions shouting about the situation created mainly due to threats received by prison guards from the underworld and constantly submitting a request for measures, the competent ministry has proceeded with plans for changes in many directions.
As it has been announced, changes are expected at the managerial level, probably even next week, while with the full operation of the mobile phone deactivation system, a chronic problem that has plagued our penitentiary for more than 10 years will be resolved. At the same time, the construction of a new wing near the Prison complex, with a capacity of 360 prisoners, is being promoted, so it is expected that the problem of overcrowding will be solved.
With the removal of mobile phones from the hands of some criminal elements who are incarcerated in the Prisons, it is estimated that the planning of criminal actions and the delivery of instructions through the cells will end, while, at the same time, those who supplied them will lose huge amounts. The illegal importation of mobile phones into the Prisons, in addition to the fact that it ensured criminals the communication of their accomplices with the outside world, brought to those who managed to spend them in the cells, a huge profit.
At the same time, what has seen the light of day in recent days has caused a new disturbance in the Prisons, even though some incidents were an open secret. The Police continue their investigations after the testimony of a prisoner who refers to terrible allegations. This particular prisoner had been summoned by the criminal investigator, Achilleas Emilianidis, for her alleged meetings inside the Prison, however, she at that stage, did not mention anything. However, in recent months and after the case of the documents had broken out, he expressed his intention to speak to investigators.
What he claims will be investigated through testimonies or evidence to determine if they are true. Already, evidence has been taken and is being studied, while an effort is being made to identify what he claims with third parties or with independent testimony. It is noted that the testimony of a convict alone is not believed by the Courts and requires supporting and independent testimony.
For the detainee's allegations, both the former director of Prisons, Anna Aristotelous, who stated that she never became aware of what she claims, and the former senior officer of the penitentiary, Athena Demetriou, who denies everything, emphasizes that everything was examined by the criminal investigator who did not find anything reprehensible and spoke of selective revelations concerning unsubstantiated allegations.
In the meantime, yesterday, the Prison Staff Branch of the "Equality" trade union with a new announcement emphasizes that "for some time now we have been witnessing an extremely worrying situation for the entire Cypriot society and this is because events show that the control of social order has been lost and has passed into the hands of criminal elements, whose information often wants to act not only outside, but also through the Prisons". As the union states, "mafia murders, arson, drugs and now we have come to see the second in command in the Legal Service fearing for his life, because some have been left free to command things and pull strings with absolute ease, through the cell of a prison".
According to the Prison staff, "it is imperative to clearly separate the prison from their prosecuting role", since their mission focuses on the guarding, management and rehabilitation of prisoners and not on policing. The members of the Prison Guards Branch of the "Equality" trade union demand that searches in cells and common areas be carried out exclusively by the Police or alternatively, that a special control team be set up and trained, completely separated from the rest of the contact staff.
Finally, the members of the guild of the Prison Branch reiterate the demand for the design of new prisons outside the urban fabric, so that better controls can be carried out, there is humane treatment of prisoners and their proper reintegration.
