Cyprus’s new central prisons to be built in the Agios Sozomenos area

Cyprus’s new central prisons will be built in the Agios Sozomenos area in Nicosia district. The decision was made at a meeting between Minister of Justice and Public Order Kostas Fytiris and representatives of the relevant services, the Ministry of Justice said.

Mathiatis was initially considered the main option, but a technical assessment showed that the road network, sewage system, water supply and electricity infrastructure would have to be built from scratch there. This would have significantly increased costs and delayed the completion of the facility.

The site in Agios Sozomenos belongs to the state, and basic infrastructure — roads, sewage, water and electricity — is either already in place or can be connected at no great cost. The ministry clarified that the site assessment is being carried out in parallel with the design process, preparation of documentation and the search for funding, so that the choice of location does not delay the remaining work.

The aim is to build “a modern correctional facility in the most economical, efficient and functional manner possible, without compromising security requirements, functionality or modern correctional-facility specifications”, the ministry said in a statement.

The new complex is designed to accommodate approximately 1,250 inmates and will occupy around 500,000 sq. m of state-owned land, while construction and commissioning are expected to take 4–5 years. The existing central prisons have capacity for approximately 800 inmates, but around 1,200 people are actually held there, and some of the buildings date back to 1890.