Nicosia, Cyprus. Trade union Isotita has reported the Cypriot government to the Council of Europe over alleged mistreatment of prison wardens who are members and representatives of the union. The case has been officially registered at the European committee of social rights, according to Alpha.
Complaint registered
The European committee of social rights is the Council of Europe’s monitoring body for the European social charter, which outlines economic and social rights for citizens of the Council of Europe’s 46 member states.
With the report filed, the Cypriot government has until July 30 to submit its observations regarding the case.
Allegations concerning union representative
The union’s complaint concerns the alleged mistreatment of its prison wardens’ branch deputy leader Giorgos Maltezos. Isotita said he had highlighted in December last year issues of “overcrowding, uncontrolled drug trafficking, and chronic understaffing” at Cyprus’ central prison.
The union said the Council of Europe’s committee for the prevention of torture had highlighted the same issues in a report published last October.
It said that after Maltezos attempted to draw attention to these issues, “a series of adverse measures followed”. These allegedly included “his sudden removal from the shift system where he had worked for a number of years” and the assignment of duties under the direct supervision of an executive belonging to another union.
Further claims by the union
Isotita also alleged that time allotted to Maltezos for trade union duties was treated as a revocable concession rather than an acquired right. It said he was written up as “unjustly absent” from his duties when he informed his superiors that he would be performing trade union duties, including in cases where he had given advance notice.
Additionally, the union said its prison wardens’ branch leader Constantinos Constantinou was “verbally assigned duties in confined spaces” despite “binding” doctors’ notes excluding him from such duties.
The union said the assignment remains ongoing despite its request that he be given other duties.
Union position
Isotita said the incidents it raised were not isolated, but “manifestations of an orchestrated effort to silence” the union and its representatives, “and to weaken, and ultimately close down” the union.