The CPT president returned to Cyprus following on from the Committee’s visits in May 2023 and April 2025 to discuss various long-standing challenges facing the Nicosia Central Prison, the only prison in the Republic of Cyprus. Several persistent concerns regarding police custody were also discussed. Topics included issues raised by the Committee in its earlier reports on Cyprus, including that on the 2023 periodic visit.

The discussions included the situation of chronic and increasing overcrowding of Nicosia Central Prison, which negatively impacts prison living conditions; the need for a greater focus on, and broader use of, alternatives to imprisonment; inter-prisoner violence and the poor recording of injuries; the lack of purposeful regimes for prisoners and various prison healthcare issues.

As regards the police, one recurrent issue raised was the prolonged periods of detention in police custody facilities, which were not designed or equipped for long stays. Groups held in these police facilities include both remand prisoners and administrative detainees. Other issues raised included the treatment of persons by the police, poor detention conditions and a lack of several safeguards for persons held in police custody.

The participants in these high-level talks included Marios Hartsiotis, Minister of Justice and Public Order, Ioannis Georgiou, Deputy Chief of the Cyprus Police, Constantinos Constantinides, Acting Director of Cyprus Prisons Department, along with senior officials of the Ministry of Justice and Public Order and representatives of the Cyprus Police. The CPT was represented by its president, Alan Mitchell.