A serious problem with overcrowding is not only faced by prisons but also by the Police. Police detention centers are overcrowded and individuals, inmates or convicts sleep on the floor while being deprived of rights.
The situation is tragic, as a result of which detention center officials point out the problems of hygiene, safety and human rights violations. Typical is the case of the detention centers at the Lakatamia Police Station, where out of 40 detainees, which is their capacity, they now host 77 people, as well as in the Limassol detention center.
Also, prisoners who had to be in the courtyard twice a day are now being detained due to overcrowding and security reasons, which is contrary to the Council of Europe's (CPT) Commission Recommendations.
The situation is worsening due to overcrowding in prisons with the Ministry of Justice and it has been forced to transfer convicts to police detention centers. Also, the Police, in the case of arrests of suspects, are forced to transfer them from Nicosia to detention centers in Paphos or Paralimni where there are empty cells. Also, in police campaigns for illegal immigration, those arrested are now transferred to the Lakes unless someone is also suspected of criminal offenses.
According to Nikos Loizides, president of the "Equality" Police Branch, out of the approximately 160 positions in the Police detention centers nationwide, 70% to 80% are filled by convicts and undertrials who should be in prisons. As he stated to "F", there is overcrowding and this shows us the violation of police provisions and detention regulations.
"We proposed solutions, such as for example the Mennoya building to be used for prisoners and convicts who are currently in police detention centers. With daily arrests and detentions, the capacity in the Police detention centers reaches about 130% daily. Dangerous numbers for riots or conditions of detention and accidents."
According to Mr. Loizides, the situation is dangerous for everyone's safety and health. "We do not define or order as a police guild. We talk about the risk of endangering human souls and we propose an immediate solution. Decisions must be made immediately... not long-term nor short-term. Immediate. The arrests cannot be stopped. So, the solution must be found. The fire in the Limassol detention center some time ago should have already turned on our alert light", concluded the president of Equality.
The report of the Police Station
The report written in the books of the Lakatamia Police Station about the situation is characteristic:
"Today 9/8/2026 the prisoners in the Lakatamia detention center amounted to 77. This means that at the moment the number of supernumeraries exceeds 110% of the capacity of the detention centers. The above was carried out on the instructions of the competent Assistant Chief through the officers on duty and with the knowledge of the police director and the assistant, who are aware of the arising and continuous dangers that negate the security and orderliness of the detention centers, as well as the inability to fully implement the police provisions.
The situation has been repeatedly conveyed and emphasized at all levels, that with the existing staff and the situation created, security issues for staff, prisoners and detention centers are maximized and maintained. And the orderliness of the detention centers is no longer ensured. In addition to the above, the human rights of prisoners cannot be fully guaranteed.
Although instructions for vigilance and increased vigilance are constantly given, it is not possible to ensure all of the above. Overpopulation creates other knock-on effects and problems that are unpredictable and often insoluble at all levels. Please do everything possible to ensure the safety of our members and prisoners, as well as their human rights.
It is also imperative to take into account overcrowding and to have increased preparedness and vigilance to prevent riots to transport dangerous and illegal objects and other malicious actions, as well as preparedness for evacuation in emergency situations."
What the person in charge of the detention center points out
The person in charge of the detention centers also points out in his note again the necessity to update the fire safety and evacuation plan, as well as the upgrades of the security measures that have been repeatedly requested and have been pending for a long time.
"In conclusion, the recommendations of the competently prepared report on the security of detention centers and the safeguarding of the rights of 2024 prisoners are not implemented and are being circumvented. It is pointed out that the above are raised almost daily in writing and orally without there being any improvement in sight.
In fact, and on the basis of increasing overpopulation, all of the above are exacerbated instead of mitigated. The necessary and as complete as possible implementation of all health protocols is again pointed out, and it should be noted that in the context of the preparation and risk assessment for safety and health at work, it was not possible to count and take into account overcrowding. An urgent update of the plans and a study of the situation are requested."
This note is also a cry of despair for the situation created by the accumulation of prisoners in a place designed to accommodate half of what exists today.
