New Prison System on State Land in Central Cyprus – What Phytiris Says

The Ministry of Justice is promoting the creation of a new Prison System on state land of 500,000 square meters in central Cyprus. The exact location will be announced after consultation with local communities within this month. Minister of Justice Kostas Fytiris clarified that the new system will not have the characteristics of the Pournara First Reception Center and that local communities will benefit from its operation. This indicates an effort to cultivate relationships with local communities and address potential reactions. The new prison system will have a capacity of 1,250 places and will fully comply with the standards of the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture, underlining Cyprus's commitment to the protection of human rights. The creation of the new Prison System is part of a broader effort to upgrade the Cypriot prison system, with the aim of improving conditions of detention and providing dignified treatment to prisoners.