MPs concerned about prison overcrowding

MPs on Monday expressed concern about overpopulation at the central prisons as well as the absence of full-time psychiatrists, while the justice minister hinted at the creation of an ‘observatory’ that would receive and review complaints by inmates and their families.

Members of the House human rights committee held a meeting with Justice Minister Anna Koukkidi-Prokopiou and acting prisons director Ioannis Kapnoullas.

MPs learned about the lack of a full-time psychiatrist at the prisons – despite a pledge from the ministry dating back to 2015 to place two psychiatrists there. Currently, two psychiatrists see to inmates, but on a part-time basis and on rotation.

Kapnoullas said efforts are being made to provide support to drug addicts. Answering questions from MPs, he said members of the LGBT community are segregated from the general prison population, for their own protection.

Currently the central prisons hold a total of 943 people, while the facility has capacity for just 545. There are 865 inmates in the closed prison, which has a capacity for 424 people. In the ‘open prison’ – with a capacity for 102 – there are 53 people, while 23 are situated in guidance centres and extra-institutional facilities.

On this, the justice minister said it is not possible to decongest the prisons by transferring inmates to the ‘open prison’ as the majority of inmates serve time for serious crimes. Allowing them to move freely outside would pose a risk to society.

Inmates placed in the ‘open prison’ get passes to leave the premises.

The minister cited statistics, according to which of 719 inmates, 24 are lifers, 573 serve long terms (173 for drug trafficking), 109 were convicted for sex crimes, while 206 are serving out lighter terms – including 69 illegal immigrants.

“It would be very easy if we could be more flexible by transferring more people to the open prison. But neither the legal framework, nor society’s sense of fairness, allows us this flexibility,” the minister said.

She said that planned expansions to the prisons facility should alleviate congestion problems.

The minister also referred to a mooted ‘observatory’ to which inmates and their families could file complaints.

On rehabilitation, the prisons director spoke of courses allowing inmates to obtain a high-school diploma. This year participation has gone up, with 703 inmates registered for classes; they’re expected to graduate soon.

In addition, prison authorities have made available a booklet on the rights of inmates. It’s available in Greek, Turkish, Georgian, Arabic, Romanian and English versions.