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Cyprus is taking steps to overhaul its aging prison system, with the Justice Minister announcing plans for a new correctional facility outside urban areas and a major expansion of prison staff. The measures come after years of chronic overcrowding, understaffing, and working conditions that prison officials say have pushed the system “to the limits of its endurance.”
Minister of Justice and Public Order Costas Fytiris outlined a package of reforms during a visit to the Central Prisons in Nicosia, his fourth in less than a month. “The Prison Guard Corps is the backbone of our correctional system,” Fytiris said. “A modern prison system is not only about imprisonment but also about reintegration of prisoners and public safety.”
The measures include:
- Creation of 90 new prison guard positions, with mandatory training before deployment.
- Reopening and upgrading of the Prison Guard School.
- Appointment of a new Director of Prisons.
- Construction of a new, modern penitentiary outside urban areas, halting expansion plans for the Central Prison.
- Installation of an independent electronic camera monitoring system.
- Strengthened nursing and psychosocial support for both staff and prisoners.
- Staff rotation and automated, merit-based performance evaluations.
- Ongoing prison decongestion through the gradual reduction of minor offenders.
The Prison Personnel Branch of PASYDY welcomed the announcements as a “critical first step” but stressed that immediate implementation is necessary. Chronic understaffing and safety risks, the union said, have created exhausting conditions for employees and threatened both staff and inmate security.
“The staff has borne the burden of a system that functions marginally for years,” PASYDY noted, calling for clear timelines and substantive staff participation in decision-making. The union also vowed to monitor progress closely, warning that past promises have often gone unfulfilled.
Fytiris emphasized that the reforms aim to make prisons safer, more humane, and aligned with 21st-century standards. “Society is not satisfied with findings or intentions,” he said. “It demands tangible results.”
The announcements mark a significant shift in Cyprus’ penitentiary policy, focusing not just on confinement but on staff safety, prisoner rehabilitation, and modern infrastructure. The construction of a new facility is expected to set a benchmark for correctional institutions in the country.
