Menogeia site to become Cyprus’s central police detention centre

Local Central PrisonspoliceTop News Menogeia site to become Cyprus’s central police detention centre Menogeia Relevant News Menogeia site to become Cyprus’s central police detention centre 4 September 2026 Retirement age forces 310 teachers off Cyprus appointment list 4 September 2026 Amathousia Festival’s 29th edition set for September 18 4 September 2026 Michalis Hadjivasilis 4 September 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Cyprus’s Justice and Public Order Ministry has finalised plans to convert the former migrant detention centre in Menogeia into a Central Police Detention Centre. The ministry has now settled its approach for police and juvenile detention facilities until construction begins on Cyprus’s new prisons. Justice Minister Costas Fytiris made the final decisions on the future of the Menogeia site and on juvenile detention facilities, following planning both on paper and on the ground, philenews reported. The Menogeia centre will become the Central Police Detention Centre, covering all districts except Paphos, which will keep its own detention centre because of the distance involved. A letter has already been sent to Police Chief Themistos Arnaoutis on converting the Menogeia migrant detention space into the main detention centre for suspects and defendants awaiting trial, for use in police investigations. The Menogeia facility can hold up to 180 people. Philenews previously revealed that detainees in police station cells sleep on the floor, get no time outdoors and sleep on dirty mattresses, and the conversion is expected to resolve this huge problem, which has included violations of detainees’ rights and hardship for police officers. The change will relieve police officers at stations of the duty of guarding suspects, defendants and even convicted prisoners. Finding enough officers to staff the Central Detention Centre remains a challenge, but this appears to be getting resolved. The main task now is completing improvement works at the centre quickly, so it can house detainees in humane conditions. Juvenile detention facilities Plans also extend to juvenile detention facilities. Officials had originally intended to build juvenile detention at Menogeia, but changed the decision because the small number of convicted juveniles, around 10 to 20, would have made this a waste of space. Following a study, it was decided that juvenile detention facilities be built near the Central Prisons complex but outside it, philenews reported. The Council of Europe’s Committee against Torture does not want juveniles held in the same space as adult convicts. A site has been found, and prefabricated units will be installed to avoid delays, as was done with the open prison. Procedures are under way to move current juvenile detainees out of Special 8, the wing within the closed prison complex where they are currently held. More than 200 people are currently held in police detention cells in poor conditions, a situation worsened by defendants sent from prisons due to lack of space there. This is why the Justice Ministry is reviving plans to place some defendants under electronic monitoring at home instead, with a bill being drafted for return to Parliament for debate. Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Retirement age forces 310 teachers off Cyprus appointment list Amathousia Festival’s 29th edition set for September 18 Mountain Games Cyprus 2026 brings four days of sport and culture to Troodos Limassol’s art boom brings new opportunities — and new questions Three spots to catch the last of summer 37 degrees before temperature drop Saturday Court overturns benefit cut for young woman born with one eye Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.