Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

April 3, 2026

Cyprus: prison full, Fitiris says

News

Asia Europe Facilities Overcrowding Cyprus

Cyprus’ prison and other holding facilities are full, Justice Minister Costas Fitiris said on Friday, though he did stress that the government is “trying to find solutions”.

March 23, 2026

Cyrpus: new prison to be built in Mathiatis

News

Asia Europe Facilities Overcrowding Cyprus

A new central prison will be constructed on the outskirts of Mathiatis, following widespread overcrowding at existing facilities, justice minister Costas Fitiris confirmed to the House human rights committee.

March 10, 2026

Cyprus: audit report exposes systemic deficiencies in prison system

News

Asia Europe Discipline Cyprus

Serious irregularities in sick leave, overtime payments and operational procedures within the prison system were highlighted in a report by the audit office covering the last two years.

January 30, 2026

Cyprus: Brazilian trans woman held in high security male wing of central prison

News

Asia Europe LGBTQI Cyprus

The 23-year-old Brazilian trans woman, who is currently serving a six-year sentence in the central prison for drug smuggling is being held in isolation in the high-security psychiatric unit of the central prison.

January 21, 2026

Cyprus: 164 foreign incarcerated people deported to relieve prison overcrowding

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Europe Foreign prisoners Material conditions Overcrowding Violence Cyprus

A total of 164 foreign nationals have been deported from detention centres and the central prisons in Cyprus between December 10 and January 20, according to a report released by the justice ministry. Overall, 643 foreign nationals have left the country in a 45-day period.

September 17, 2025

Cyprus: authorities blasted for not taking rape in prison claim seriously

News

Europe Violence Cyprus

Both the justice ministry and police have been accused of not taking an alleged rape in the central prison seriously enough. The incident came to light after a video of it, seemingly taken by incarcerated people, circulated online.

August 26, 2025

Cyprus: head of prison rights group blames government for overcrowding crisis

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Europe Mental health Material conditions Overcrowding Work Cyprus

Alexandros Clerides, said that the government must be held accountable for the chronic overcrowding in Cyprus’ prisons, which currently operate at 200 per cent capacity.

June 30, 2025

Cyprus: prison rubbishes unsanitary claims

News

Women Europe Health Material conditions Facilities Cyprus

The prisons department sought to rubbish allegations of unhygienic conditions for incarcerated people – including tainted food and unclean showers – attributing such claims to “ulterior motives”.

May 6, 2025

Cyprus: prison guards' union warns of understaffing

News

Crises Europe Facilities Overcrowding Cyprus

Amid reports revealing Cypriot prisons are the most overcrowded in Europe, at an occupancy rate of 226.2 per cent, the prison guards branch of the Pasydy union warned that “critical understaffing” could lead to increasingly volatile conditions.

April 30, 2020

Cyprus: released inmates ask to go back to prison

News

Coronavirus Europe Rehabilitation Work Cyprus

Four prisoners who were released from prison earlier this month have asked to be brought back because they have no place to go. Nicosia central prisons director Anna Aristotelous said on Wednesday that two of the four prisoners were part of the early release of 130 inmates in early April as part of…

April 21, 2020

Cyprus: Nicosia prisons lays out measures taken since March 10

News

Coronavirus Europe Health Cyprus

The department for prisons on Friday announced inmates have been allowed additional phone hours and skype calls during the month that visitation has been cancelled due to Covid-19. In an announcement wishing happy Easter holidays to the inmates, the department numbered all the measures implemented…

March 31, 2020

Cyprus: cabinet to approve measures to mitigate prison overcrowding

News

Coronavirus Europe Health Cyprus

The cabinet is on Tuesday expected to approve a series of measures to cut down on overcrowding a the Nicosia central prisons to curb any spread of the coronavirus. The issue was the main topic of discussion during a meeting between President Nicos Anastasiades and justice minister Giorgos Savvides…

May 30, 2017

Cyprus: bill to establish child-friendly justice system

News

Justice Cyprus

The best interests of the child will be taken into account in a new bill regulating issues of youngsters who are suspects that was presented on Tuesday by Justice Minister Ionas Nicolaou.

April 12, 2017

Cyprus: over 50 inmates pardoned and released for Easter

News

Cyprus

Fifty-three prison inmates were released on Wednesday after receiving presidential pardons.

March 14, 2017

Cyprus says sweeping changes have reduced prison suicides

News

Suicide Cyprus

The director of Cyprus’ prisons complex says no inmates have committed suicide over the last two years following sweeping reforms in the east Mediterranean island nation’s correctional system.

January 14, 2017

Cyprus: new bill to allow small debtors to pay with community service

News

Cyprus

The justice ministry said on Friday that two bills have been prepared to amend existing legislation so as to provide discretion to the court to sentence persons who owe small amounts of money to community work instead of jail.