**Cabinet Recommends New Suspension for Former Prisons Director Anna Aristotelous**
In a significant development regarding the leadership of Cyprus' prison system, the cabinet has recommended the re-suspension of former prisons director Anna Aristotelous. This decision was reached during an extraordinary cabinet meeting held on Monday, following a recent ruling by the Administrative Court that annulled the previous suspension imposed by the Public Service Commission (PSC).
The cabinet's recommendation will be submitted to the PSC, which holds the authority to make the final decision regarding Aristotelous' suspension. This latest move comes just days after the Administrative Court ruled that the cabinet was not the appropriate body to recommend her suspension at the time of the original proposal. The court clarified that Aristotelous was still serving at the Presidency of the Republic when the cabinet's recommendation was made on November 28, 2025, and had not yet assumed her role as director-general of the prisons.
The court's ruling emphasized that the Presidency, rather than the cabinet, was the competent authority to recommend her suspension. As a result, the PSC's earlier decision to place Aristotelous on leave, pending the outcome of ongoing criminal proceedings against her, was rendered invalid.
Deputy government spokesman Yiannis Antoniou addressed the situation on Politis radio, explaining that the cabinet believes the reasons for recommending Aristotelous' suspension remain valid. He reiterated that while the cabinet can make recommendations, the ultimate decision lies with the PSC. “The cabinet does not decide on suspension. The cabinet makes a recommendation to the Public Service Commission,” Antoniou stated.
The legal troubles surrounding Aristotelous began in early April 2025, when police conducted a search at the residence of a prison warden as part of a broader investigation into alleged misconduct involving a convict who was reportedly buying items from the prison canteen and reselling them at inflated prices to fellow inmates. During this search, investigators confiscated approximately 300,000 pages of documents labeled as “confidential” and “secret,” which are suspected to have been removed unlawfully between November and December 2022.
As the situation develops, the cabinet's renewed recommendation for Aristotelous' suspension underscores the ongoing scrutiny of the prison administration and the legal processes surrounding it. The outcome of the PSC's decision will be closely monitored as it will determine the next steps in this unfolding case.
No official announcement has been made by the government regarding this recommendation as of the time of writing, leaving the public and stakeholders in the prison system awaiting further updates on this matter.