In 2022, the police dealt with 508 cases of juvenile delinquency.
This number reflects both the existing problem and the necessity for the operation of a juvenile detention facility.
These statistics were provided by the representative of the police union Iotita (Equality), Nikos Loizides, during yesterday’s discussion in the Legal Committee of the Parliament regarding the bill granting the right to detain children in a special area within prisons instead of a facility until January 1, 2026.
According to the discussion and the data presented by the Deputy Director of Prisons, Ioannis Kapnoulas, there are currently 35 detainees between 17 and 21 years old in the “Special 8” wing, some of whom are charged with drug trafficking and rape.
This raised concerns among the MPs, especially after Mr. Loizides claimed that young inmates are mingling with murderers and drug lords in the same area, despite Mr. Kapnoulas’ denial.
They requested to visit this wing to see firsthand what exactly is happening.
According to the deputy director, there is no juvenile wing in the prisons, but there is the “Special 8” where individuals up to 21 years old are held.
Special arrangements have been made to prevent them from interacting with other inmates.
In this wing, there are five convicted individuals, one sentenced to three years imprisonment and the others to two years; nine others imprisoned for up to 18 months for various offenses, and additionally, 21 are under trial, most of whom are detained for assisting migrants.
Five out of the 21 defendants are charged with rape in Ayia Napa. Regarding Loizides’ claims that young people come into contact with serious offenders, Mr. Kapnoulas stated that this is not happening as they have their own yard, nor can inmates from other wings throw things at them.
The senior official of the Ministry of Justice, Aristos Tsiartas, mentioned that the child-friendly legislation allowing the detention of minors outside prisons was passed in 2021.
Now, he added, regulations for the operation of this space are being prepared, which will be sent to the Legal Service and then to the Parliament.
Subsequently, tenders will be announced for the creation of a facility between Nicosia and Larnaca.
The President of the Cyprus Police Association, Kyriakos Charalambous, referred to a problematic law in its implementation, as minors are currently detained in police stations, while police officers, who are also prosecutors, perform the role of caretakers.
In light of these reports, the Legal Committee, as announced by its president Nikos Tornaritis, will visit the special juvenile detention wing in prisons to see the space up close and draw its own conclusions before the bill is voted on.
The visit will likely take place next week.
