Cyprus to build new prison and implement violence prevention platform

Cyprus Minister of Justice and Public Order, Konstantinos Fitiris, has announced several key initiatives to reform the nation's justice and security systems. A primary focus is the implementation of the ‘Red Flag’ platform, designed to combat gender-based violence, harassment, and threats against women and children. The platform aims to allow various state services to be notified simultaneously of an incident to ensure immediate, coordinated intervention. While approved in 2021, the Minister expects full implementation by the end of this year.

To address severe overcrowding in the Central Prisons—where the inmate population has reached approximately 1,200 despite a capacity of 800—the Cabinet has decided to construct a new correctional facility within the next five years. The current facilities, dating back to 1890, are considered inadequate for modern public safety and human rights standards. During the transition, authorities plan to improve and decongest existing facilities.

Additionally, the Minister discussed efforts to combat organized crime and the establishment of a specialized unit described as a ‘Cypriot FBI’, alongside a re-evaluation of police protection for political figures.