The central prisons are facing a growing security crisis marked by violence, drugs, overcrowding and staff shortages, the prison guards’ union Isotita (Equality) claimed on Thursday, as its dispute with Justice Minister Costas Fitiris continued to escalate.

In a publicly issued statement, Isotita’s vice president Giorgos Maltezos said the prison had become increasingly difficult to manage and accused the state of failing to ensure the safety of both inmates and staff.

His intervention comes days after his own dismissal from the prison service, a decision the union has described as “retaliatory” and an attempt to silence representatives who publicly raise concerns about conditions inside the prison.

Fitiris rejected suggestions that the dismissal was related to his trade union activity, insisting the case concerned repeated non-compliance with workplace regulations.

Fitiris said trade union activity remained protected but required authorisation during working hours.

He added that the disciplinary investigation had been carried out by the ministry and that the findings justified termination of employment, while stressing that Maltezos retained the right to challenge the decision through the courts, “should he so wish”.

Maltezos cited two separate fights on Wednesday in different prison wings, one of which allegedly left an inmate seriously injured, saying the incidents formed part of a wider behavioural pattern rather than isolated events.

He referred to a reported rape allegation involving an inmate in September 2025, a violent clash involving improvised weapons in June this year and a fire in the maximum-security Wing 4 last month, during which a prison officer was hospitalised after suffering smoke inhalation.

The union further drew attention to a separate incident in which a prison officer was exposed to an inmate’s blood while intervening in a violent altercation and is now undergoing repeated medical examinations due to the risk of contracting a communicable disease.

Maltezos alleged that drug trafficking remained an ongoing problem within the prison and pointed to observations made by the Council of Europe’s committee for the prevention of torture, which has previously raised concerns that staffing shortages undermine effective control inside the prison.

“When rapes, stabbings and arson occur within this custody, these are not accidents. They are a failure of the state itself at the expense of prisoners and staff alike.”

He accused the government of responding with intimidation rather than reform, arguing that his dismissal sent a clear message to prison staff.

The latest accusations come against the backdrop of an increasingly public confrontation between the justice ministry and the police unions.

Fitiris has defended a series of reforms aimed at tightening discipline within the prison system while repeatedly condemning the abuse of sick leave by officers.

Under current public service regulations, employees can use up to 42 days of sick leave before being referred to a medical board.

If approved, leave can be extended to six months on full pay, followed by a further six months on half pay.

To the ire of union members, he had remarked it was unacceptable that “some people take 200 days of sick leave and protest outside my office”, whilst conceding that many prison officers carried out their duties professionally.

The government has announced plans to reform sick leave rules across the wider public sector, with Fitiris confirming this week that discussions with trade unions will begin next month and insisting the proposals will target individual abusers rather than employees with genuine medical needs.