In a statement released today, the Prison Branch of the Equality Union calls for immediate measures to improve working conditions at the Central Prisons, while also filing an immediate formal complaint with the relevant European oversight bodies “regarding the unacceptable and dangerous conditions under which our colleagues are confined during working hours, behind manually operated doors, with no means of escape.”

As reported, last night’s dramatic events at the Central Prison, where inmates set fire to foam mattresses, putting human lives in immediate danger, confirm that it was purely by chance that we did not suffer any casualties this time, just as we did not in early December 2025 during the fire in Wing 10A. “We are now facing a recurring pattern of danger, and, as the outcome of these events demonstrates, each time we are one step closer to tragedy,” the statement notes.

Wishing a speedy and full recovery to their colleagues who were injured while attempting to extinguish the fire and rescue those trapped, as well as to the colleague who was hospitalized with a serious respiratory problem caused by smoke inhalation and was treated with oxygen until the early hours of the morning, the union states that “this self-sacrifice can no longer cover up the criminal negligence of a management team that lives in a world of its own.”

“It is unacceptable and extremely dangerous that, in the year 2026, for the doors of the wings to remain manually operated and for employees to be locked inside, like mice in a trap, in times of danger. It is infuriating that, even though this is the third time a fire has broken out in this particular wing, management never bothered to install even a basic fire extinguisher. Instead, it rushed to install one in a panic just today—after the fact,” he emphasizes.

“This criminal negligence, however, does not stop at safety measures. It extends to the complete disregard of our proposals that would have prevented such situations. It is unthinkable that 1,200 people should be crammed into a prison designed to hold 600. Both prison guards and inmates are at risk every day,” he further emphasizes.

Regarding specific proposals for bills and changes, the union demands an end to the confinement of staff within the prison wings, modern systems for controlled escape and evacuation, a change in the organizational chart with the immediate abolition of the “units” system and a transition to “teams,” for proper, rational, and safe management of the Service, the creation of an Independent Investigation and Enforcement Team, immediate decongestion through the implementation of electronic ankle monitors for defendants, with their sole obligation being to report once a day to the nearest police station, as well as a broader expansion of the use of electronic monitoring and a significant increase in the imposition of community service sentences.

It also calls for the immediate deportation of all foreign nationals serving sentences for minor offenses and the immediate hiring of 150 new temporary contract prison guards for two years, with those who demonstrate in practice that they are competent professionals and receive positive evaluations from their supervisors to be given preference—through a relevant bill — with 10 additional points for practical experience when they apply for permanent positions.

The Union also maintains that the Prison Administration did not respond to its letters and that it chose to attack the Union with disciplinary proceedings and cheap tactics against itsmembers. “And this is for one reason alone: because we are publicly and desperately demanding the protection of workers’ physical integrity and humane working conditions free from fear; and because, at any cost, we stand as a shield for the rights of our colleagues.”

“Therefore, we make it clear that verbal dialogue has been definitively closed. They chose this path themselves, with their dismissive and authoritarian attitude. All future communication, both with management and with political leadership, will be conducted exclusively in writing, and will be automatically forwarded to all relevant authorities, both in Cyprus and internationally. The Union is filing an immediate formal complaint with the relevant European oversight bodies regarding the unacceptable and dangerous situation of our colleagues being confined during working hours, behind manually operated doors, with no means of escape. “We will not wait for the next incident to count the dead,” it concludes.

Source: KYPE