The need to modernize the prison system and address the long-standing problems in the Central Prisons, including overcrowding and the presence of mobile phones and drugs, was highlighted by MPs members of the Legal Committee of the Parliament, in their statements after today's visit to the Central Prisons.
The Chair of the Committee on Legal, Justice and Public Order, Fotini Tsiridou, said that the Committee considers it important to be there and have a direct picture of the places and conditions for which it is called upon to legislate. As he said, prisons should be a place that provides second chances and contribute to the correction and reintegration of prisoners.
Ms. Tsiridou noted that during the meeting with the management of the Prisons, many issues were raised, the main ones being overcrowding, the commission and organization of offenses inside the prisons, the pending issue in relation to the deactivation of mobile phones, as well as the increase in the number of prisoners for offenses related to drugs and sexual abuse, especially of minors.
He made special reference to the need for the reintegration of prisoners and the strengthening of treatment programs, as well as the promotion of electronic monitoring, which, as he said, can contribute both to the modernization of the prison system and to the treatment of overcrowding.
In relation to the relocation of the Central Prisons, Ms. Tsiridou said that the issue is of concern to the Committee and will be discussed with the competent Ministry. He stressed that Cyprus in 2026 needs a prison center that meets European standards, expressing the view that the existing facilities do not meet all the specifications of a modern penitentiary.
At the same time, he said that the Committee intends to proceed with a closed-door meeting on issues that, as he said, should not be made public, while it will ask the competent Ministry to submit to the Parliament the pending bills.
He described the issue of prisoners convicted of sexual offenses against minors as an immediate priority, noting that the way they are managed within the Prisons should be examined.
AKEL MP, Andreas Pasiourtidis, stated that in order to solve the problems, their existence and extent must first be recognized, arguing that the situation in the Central Prisons "is not what befits a modern European rule of law".
Referring to the presence of mobile phones and drugs, he rejected the logic that these phenomena should be considered inevitable because they also exist in society. "The target should be neither a gram of drugs in prisons, nor a mobile phone in prisons," he said.
Mr. Pasiourtidis noted that, despite the fact that he has been participating in the Legal Committee since 2019, he has not found, as he said, drastic measures to eliminate the specific problems.
He also referred to overcrowding, noting that its definitive treatment is linked to the construction of new Prisons, while for alternative ways of serving sentences, legislative initiatives are required, as he said.
At the same time, he expressed satisfaction with the information received by the Commission that the mobile phone deactivation system is expected to be operational at the end of November, expressing the hope that the relevant timetable will be respected.
The AKEL MP also focused on the change in the nature of offenses that lead prisoners to Prisons, expressing concern about the increase in sexual offenses against minors and drug-related offenses.
The Member of Parliament of ELAM, Sotiris Ioannou, stated that during the visit, issues related to overcrowding, understaffing, security and the commission of offenses within the Prisons were presented to the Committee.
He argued that the problems are known and require, as he said, a strong political will to deal with them. He made special reference to the issues of telecommunications and electronic surveillance, as well as to issues concerning the deportation of persons who commit criminal offences.
In relation to the composition of the prison population, Mr. Ioannou said that more than 50% of the prisoners are foreigners.
Finally, Mr. Ioannou called on the competent Ministry to proceed with the required interventions and legislative changes to deal with the problems that, as he mentioned, remain for years in the Central Prisons.
