Newsroom
Cyprus will build a new correctional facility on a remote state-owned site near Mathiatis, Justice Minister Kostas Fytiris announced during a parliamentary Human Rights Committee session. The discussion focused on conditions in the central prisons and ensuring the human rights of inmates, with the minister noting that the local community has also approved the plan.
Fytiris provided updates on immigration detention, saying the Limnes detention center for foreigners is expected to be fully operational by the end of April and that 1,450 foreign nationals have been deported in the past two and a half months. Meanwhile, the Menogeia Migrant Detention Center will be converted into a juvenile facility.
On the appointment of a new director for the Central Prisons, Fytiris said 37 applications have been submitted but stressed the decision lies with the Public Service Commission, not the ministry. He expressed hope that the selected candidate will effectively manage the facility while enforcing proper rules.
Acknowledging ongoing problems in the Central Prisons, Fytiris admitted that both public safety and human rights protections need to be upheld. “Unfortunately, staff are exhausted, and regulations under modern standards are not being fully implemented,” he said, highlighting the urgent need for reform.
