The Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) has expressed grave concern over conditions at Nicosia Central Prison, citing high levels of inter-prisoner violence, severe overcrowding and the detention of children in degrading conditions.
The findings are contained in a report published on Thursday following an ad hoc CPT visit to Cyprus in April 2025, along with the response of the Cypriot authorities.
Scope of the CPT visit
According to a statement by the Council of Europe, the CPT examined the treatment and conditions of detention at Nicosia Central Prison, several police stations, the Pournara First Reception Centre, and detention facilities at Larnaca Airport.
The Committee acknowledged that some positive steps had been taken since its previous visits in 2017 and 2023, including a reduction in allegations of physical ill-treatment by prison staff at Nicosia Central Prison and improved living and hygiene conditions at the Pournara centre.
However, it stressed that many long-standing shortcomings identified in earlier reports persist.
Violence and loss of control inside prisons
At Nicosia Central Prison, the CPT voiced serious concern about the high levels of violence among inmates and the inability of prison staff to ensure detainee safety.
According to the report, chronic shortages of frontline prison officers have allowed stronger inmate groups to dominate and impose informal punishments, undermining security and order.
The Committee called on the Cypriot authorities to urgently recruit and train additional staff, regain control of the prison system and review their violence-prevention policy.
Overcrowding and degrading living conditions
The CPT found that living conditions at Nicosia Central Prison remain very poor, exacerbated by severe overcrowding. In some cases, up to four detainees were held in cells measuring less than six square metres, with two prisoners forced to sleep on mattresses on the floor. The Committee noted that such cells were barely adequate even for a single occupant.
Access to toilets was also found to be inadequate. More than half of the prison wings lack in-cell sanitation facilities, and due to staff shortages preventing prisoners from leaving their cells at night to use communal toilets, detainees were forced to urinate in bottles and, at times, defecate in bags — a practice the CPT described as degrading.
Children and young adults held in unsuitable conditions
The Committee also found that children and young adults continue to be detained in inappropriate and unhygienic conditions at Nicosia Central Prisons.
Some minors were found sleeping on mattresses on the floor in mould-infested cells covered in graffiti, without access to education or meaningful activities. Many reported feeling cold, hungry and bored.
The CPT stressed that prisons are not a suitable place for children and called for their swift transfer to appropriate juvenile facilities.
Women prisoners and healthcare shortcomings
Regarding women in detention, the Committee supported the adoption of a gender-sensitive approach that responds to their specific needs.
Healthcare provision at Nicosia Central Prison was also deemed inadequate. The CPT highlighted the need to strengthen medical confidentiality, noting that medication should be distributed by healthcare staff rather than prison officers.
It also called on the authorities to develop a comprehensive suicide-prevention policy and to reinforce measures addressing substance use.
Police detention facilities
As regards police stations, the CPT found that individuals continued to be held under police custody for prolonged periods — in some cases for months — in facilities generally suitable only for short stays of a few days.
While most detainees reported being treated correctly by police, some allegations of physical ill-treatment and verbal abuse were recorded. The Committee urged authorities to reinforce a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of ill-treatment.
Pournara reception centre and asylum detention
Conditions at the Pournara First Reception Centre were found to have improved significantly since the 2023 visit. However, asylum seekers were still being held there for months while awaiting examination results, particularly age-assessment procedures.
The problem was especially acute for unaccompanied boys, who were detained in overcrowded and unsuitable facilities. The CPT reiterated that detention should only be used as a measure of last resort.
Vulnerable groups and final recommendations
The Committee also highlighted limited access to psychiatric care, a lack of organised activities for adults, and an almost complete absence of educational or recreational opportunities for children. Vulnerability assessments were described as inconsistent, with minimal protection afforded to recognised vulnerable individuals.
The CPT called on Cypriot authorities to ensure that all detained asylum seekers receive individualised detention orders clearly outlining the reasons for detention, legal safeguards and available remedies. It also urged the immediate adoption of measures to end the detention of children, including unaccompanied and separated minors.