Cyprus's new Justice Minister, Konstantinos Fytiris, visited the country's main prisons on Thursday. This visit happened soon after a report from the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT). The CPT report showed that the prison system has big problems. It mentioned too many people in cells, violence, and bad living conditions. The minister's visit shows the government wants to fix these problems.
The CPT report described prison life as very difficult. It said cells were small and shared by many prisoners. There were not enough staff to control the prisons. Because of this, some prisoners had too much power. They even gave punishments themselves. The report also said some prisoners had no toilets. They had to use bottles and bags for waste.
Minister Fytiris spent over three hours in the prisons. He talked to staff and prisoners. He agreed that there are many challenges. He said not having enough staff is a major issue. The minister promised to act quickly. He said they need more staff and better training. He also wants to improve the whole prison system. The minister wants to help prisoners get ready for life outside.
This prison issue comes after changes in the country's law system. The President recently appointed a new Attorney General. These appointments were made quickly. The President said the new officials must be independent.
The problems in prisons and in the law system are a big challenge. The new Attorney General needs to make people trust the courts again. He also needs to deal with many old cases. The Justice Minister must create a plan to reform the prisons. This will need more money for staff and buildings. The CPT report puts pressure on the government to show clear progress.