A new report from a European human rights group shows serious problems at the main prison in Cyprus. The Council of Europe's anti-torture committee visited Nicosia Central Prisons. They found too many prisoners, not enough staff, and a lot of violence. These bad conditions are called "inhuman and degrading." The government must act quickly.
The inspection happened in April 2025. The prison has many more prisoners than it should. Each prisoner has less than six square metres to live in. There are also not enough prison officers. This is a main reason why control is lost. Criminal groups are now running things inside the prison.
The report tells sad details. Because there is no staff at night, prisoners in many blocks cannot use toilets. They must use other ways to clean themselves. The committee called this "degrading." There are also many fights between prisoners. Sadly, one prisoner was recently killed. Young prisoners are kept in dirty cells with no school.
This report has caused anger in Cyprus. The Justice Minister will visit the prison. The prison guards' union said the violence is a shame for Cyprus. Staff are tired of working in a dangerous place.
Experts think that judges give too many prison sentences. This causes overcrowding. The committee wants more staff hired and trained. They also want better ways to stop violence. Minors should be moved from the prison. Cyprus must make changes to protect human rights.