A new prison will be built in Cyprus outside Nicosia

Minister of Justice Kostas Fitiris announced plans to build a new prison outside the capital as part of a reform of the penitentiary system. According to him, the site for the new facility has already been identified, and the project will serve as an alternative to expanding the Central Prisons of Nicosia, an option the authorities have decided to abandon.

The decision is attributed to the overcrowding of the existing prison and the limited possibilities for its modernization within the urban area. The construction of a new correctional facility, the ministry believes, will be a more efficient and modern solution.

At the same time, the state is launching a comprehensive set of reforms in the Central Prisons. In particular, plans include:

• recruitment of 90 new prison service employees with mandatory training;
• resumption of operations and modernization of the Prison Officers’ Training School;
• appointment of a new director of the institution;
• implementation of staff rotation;
• installation of an independent video surveillance system;
• strengthening medical and psychosocial support for inmates and staff.

In addition, the authorities intend to reduce prison overcrowding, including by reviewing the practice of imprisonment for minor offenses in cooperation with the legal service.

Fitiris emphasized that the goal of the reforms is not only security, but also rehabilitation and the reintegration of people into society, and promised to continue regular visits to correctional facilities.