Minors held with adults in Nicosia prisons

A total of 35 individuals under the age of 21, convicted for drug offenses or facing charges for rape, are currently being held together with minors in a special wing at the central prisons in Nicosia, is what emerged during a House legal committee on Wednesday.

Discussions held during the committee circled around an upcoming justice ministry bill granting the right to detain children in a special area in prisons until January 1, 2026.

This proposal is being submitted until a separate detention space outside the prisons is ready.

The deputy director of the central prisons Ioannis Kapnoulas said during the committee meeting that the space where minors will be held under the new law will be in wing 8.

The news that emerged on Wednesday sparked reactions from members of the committee, who requested more details.

The head of the police wing of the trade union Nikos Loizides also added that minors share the same courtyard with convicted drug dealers and rapists, aside from their cells.

However, his claim was refuted by Kapnoulas, who explained that minors and individuals under the age of 21 have their own courtyard for recreation.

Following the meeting, the House legal committee decided that it will schedule a visit to the wing in question to closely inspect the area and draw its own conclusions before the bill is voted on.