Prison guards union demands urgent action following safety incident in Nicosia Central Prison

A correctional officer at the Nicosia Central Prison is currently under medical observation for potential exposure to a blood-borne disease after being exposed to blood while intervening in a violent altercation between inmates. The incident has prompted the ISOTITA prison guards' union to launch a formal protest, citing a systemic failure to protect staff amidst hazardous working conditions.

The union, led by newly elected president Giorgos Maltezos, reports that the facility is currently housing 1,200 inmates despite an original design capacity of only 600. Furthermore, there are over 150 vacant staff positions, leading to chronic understaffing. The union claims that warnings regarding these biological and physical risks were submitted in writing as early as May 2026 but were ignored by the Ministry of Justice. Previous reports from the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) have also documented the deteriorating conditions within the prison system.

In response, the union has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Ministry of Justice demanding concrete measures. Their demands include immediate hiring to address vacancies, decongestion of the prison via electronic monitoring, and the implementation of robust health and safety protocols to protect staff from further biological risks.