The urine tests for detecting illegal substances in prisoners, based on the relevant article of the Prison Law, are carried out daily by the Prison Department, as stated in a relevant announcement.
Regarding a publication titled “Drugs in Prisons from Courts – Explicit directive for inspection by Chief of Police” dated February 1, 2024, the Prison Department notes that “the information that Cyprus is one of the three countries in Europe where drug use control is not conducted on prisoners in correctional facilities is not substantiated.”
It is added that urine tests are conducted by trained staff members, daily on a random basis or upon receiving information, after their return from the Courts, before their admission to the Open Prison and the Center for Guidance for Extra-Institutional Employment and Rehabilitation of Prisoners, and after the return of the prisoners from leave with or without escort.
It is noted that following an error identified by the Cyprus Anti-Drugs Authority in a report of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, with relevant communications, the situation in Cyprus was correctly reflected and this specific information was updated on the EMCDDA website in October 2022.
