Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus has the European Union’s most overcrowded prison cells on average, according to data released by EU statistics agency Eurostat. The country recorded an occupancy rate of 227.6%.
Cyprus tops EU prison occupancy rates
Eurostat reported that Cyprus’ prison occupancy rate of 227.6% was the highest in the bloc, ahead of Slovenia at 134.2% and France at 129.3%. An occupancy rate above 100% indicates a prison is holding more inmates than it was designed to hold.
Lowest occupancy rates recorded in Estonia, Lithuania and Luxembourg
At the other end of the scale, Eurostat said the lowest prison occupancy rate in the European Union was in Estonia at 49.9%. Lithuania and Luxembourg recorded rates of 67% and 67.4%, respectively.
Government seeks solutions amid capacity pressures
The data release follows comments last month by Justice Minister Costas Fitiris that the central prison and other holding facilities in Cyprus are full and that the government is “trying to find solutions”.
One proposal involves constructing a new prison near the Nicosia district village of Mathiatis, which Fitiris said in March could take four or more years to build.
Mathiatis mukhtar cites lack of consent and space
Mathiatis mukhtar Theodoros Tsatsos said he has not agreed to the plans and that they can only proceed with the village’s consent. He said there is no space left in the village, which he said already hosts two army camps, archaeological sites, churches and farms.
Council of Europe committee raised concerns about Nicosia facility
The Council of Europe’s committee for the prevention of torture has previously warned of “serious problems” at the central prison in Nicosia and said it had “grave concerns” about “the high levels of inter-prisoner violence” there. It cited a “failure of prison staff to ensure the safety of those in custody” and linked this in part to a “chronic shortage of frontline officers”.
What measures do you think should be prioritised to address prison overcrowding in Cyprus?
