Menoyia center converted into detention facility to ease police overcrowding

The Menoyia center in Cyprus is being converted into a temporary detention facility to address severe overcrowding within local police holding cells. The decision follows a meeting convened on August 17, 2026, by the Minister of Justice and Public Order, Costas Fytiris, involving top police officials and representatives from the Public Works Department.

Minister Fytiris has issued direct orders to finalize all necessary construction and operational arrangements to ensure the facility becomes fully functional by mid-September 2026. This transition is a strategic move to improve detention conditions and alleviate the burden on existing police facilities. The Menoyia site, which had previously served as a pre-departure center for foreign nationals before they were transferred to the Limnes center, will now serve this new administrative function.

The project is moving forward immediately following the minister’s directives. Authorities expect the site to be operational within the month, marking a significant change in how the region manages its detention capacity.