Newsroom
A prison guard was assaulted by an inmate while on duty on Wednesday, prompting the Isotita union to condemn the attack and accuse the state of failing to provide adequate safety for prison staff.
The union described the incident as an unprovoked attack and expressed its support for the injured officer, wishing the guard a speedy recovery.
According to Isotita, persistent staff shortages and overcrowding in Cyprus’ prisons have created increasingly difficult and potentially dangerous working conditions for prison officers.
The union argued that the state, in its capacity as an employer, has a legal responsibility to provide a safe workplace and claimed that this obligation was not being adequately met.
It said prison guards should be able to complete their shifts and return home safely to their families, arguing that this basic expectation had become increasingly uncertain.
Isotita placed responsibility on authorities who, it said, were aware of the long-standing problems affecting the prison system but had failed to introduce effective solutions.
In protest over what it described as continuing institutional failures and a lack of action on staff safety, the union's sectoral branch said it would make no further public statements on the incident.
The union said its decision to remain silent would itself be a response to what it considers official inaction.
