A mother, whose name is not being disclosed for obvious reasons, has filed a complaint with KYPE regarding the failure to provide adequate breastfeeding facilities during her visit to her partner and the father of her child.
The complainant states that she has repeatedly raised the issue with the correctional facility, explaining that she needs “a more private and suitable space during the visit” so that she can breastfeed her 8-month-old infant without hindrance, if necessary.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
As she notes, “in some cases, a space could be found and the visit would proceed, while in other cases I was not given the opportunity to use a suitable private space. As a result, I had difficulty breastfeeding my child and, in some cases, was forced to interrupt the visit or was unable to complete it.”
On May 20, 2026, the complainant filed a formal complaint with the Commissioner for Administration and Human Rights and the Commissioner for the Protection of Children’s Rights. “That day, my baby was only four months old. There was no suitable private space available, and although I explained that I needed to breastfeed my child, it was not possible to find a practical solution. As a result, I was forced to leave without being able to complete the visit,” she explained.
The problem, she says, continued. Specifically, she notes that during her visit on September 1 “my baby was crying loudly, and I was trying to cover him with a sheet so that I could breastfeed him in the visiting area, which was extremely difficult and uncomfortable.”
She noted that her attorney offered her the lawyers’ lounge so she could breastfeed. “I stayed there for about 20 minutes and then left, as I didn’t want to take advantage of his personal kindness,” she said, noting, however, that this incident demonstrated that a simple and practical solution exists: she requested that, after informing authorities in advance that she would be accompanied by her infant, a suitable private space be provided.
On September 4, she continued, she was asked to go to the guard post to breastfeed. “I explained that breastfeeding can take 20–30 minutes or even longer and that, if I leave the visiting area, I essentially miss a large part or even the entire visit,” she said.
However, she noted that the situation “escalated,” and, as she claims, a prison guard told her, “You’re always causing problems; I have orders, and if there’s space, you’ll go there.”
The complainant told CNA that, as a mother of five children, “these visits are of particular importance to me and my family. They are one of the few moments when the children can have meaningful contact with their father and maintain a family bond during an extremely difficult time,” she said, emphasizing that she is not asking for preferential treatment, but “a simple, humane, dignified, and stable solution so that a mother can breastfeed her infant and complete her family visit.”
When asked to comment on the issue, the Press Secretary for the Ministry of Justice, Nikoletta Tyrimou, referred to the “special circumstances” prevailing in prisons due to overcrowding and the increased need for available space. As she said, “it is not always possible to permanently allocate a specific room exclusively for this purpose. Where possible, prisons provide the necessary accommodations, respecting the needs of mothers, in accordance with security requirements and the smooth operation of the correctional facility,” she said.
Furthermore, the Prison Administration responded to a related letter from the Commissioner of Administration, who, following the mother’s complaint, investigated the case.
CYPE obtained excerpts from the Commissioner for Administration’s response to the mother’s complaint, according to which it was not found that the Prison Department’s actions fell outside its legal framework, as the facility is not considered a “public space serving the general public.” Nevertheless, it urges the prison authorities to provide the mother with a specific room for breastfeeding, provided that the necessary conditions are met.
Specifically, it notes that the European Prison Rules recognize the importance of maintaining and developing inmates’ family relationships through visits, but it also points out that visits may be subject to restrictions and supervision for reasons of security, order, and the prevention of criminal offenses.
At the same time, it is stipulated that the arrangements for visits must be such as to allow prisoners to maintain and develop their family relationships as much as possible in a manner that is as normal as possible.
Furthermore, according to the Commissioner, the relevant standards of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), there is no specific provision requiring the creation or provision of a separate breastfeeding area for mothers who visit detainees accompanied by their infants.
With regard to national law, the Commissioner notes that the law on the promotion and protection of breastfeeding provides for the creation of a breastfeeding room or aand breast milk pumping in specific public spaces, which are specified in the Annex to the Law and include, among others, buildings in the public and broader public sector that serve the general public.
“As for the Central Prisons, on the one hand, they are not explicitly mentioned among the spaces listed in the aforementioned Annex; on the other hand, they are not a facility serving the general public but a correctional institution with controlled and conditional access, subject to heightened security measures,” according to the Commissioner.
However, the Commissioner calls on the Department of Corrections “to continue to make this specific room available for breastfeeding purposes, as has been the practice to date, provided that the necessary security conditions are ensured and a specific day and time are designated for this purpose,” to strengthen, as it states, communication and family ties among inmates.
CYPA also contacted the Chair of the National Committee for the Protection, Promotion, and Support of Breastfeeding, an official with the Ministry of Health, Chryso Grigoriadou, who confirmed that the Commission has received a written complaint from the mother, which will be investigated in accordance with the provisions of the law.
As she noted, the Ministry of Health “attaches particular importance to the protection, promotion, and support of breastfeeding,” stating that it considers it of great importance to public health.
SEE ALSO: 4-Year-Old Dies After Falling from Balcony in Engomi: Parents Arrested | AlphaNews
Source: KYPE
