NICOSIA— Mobile phones remain a persistent problem in Cyprus’s Central Prisons, Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis said Friday, calling the issue a “chronic affliction.”
Speaking on state radio, Hartsiotis announced that by the end of 2025, authorities will implement a two-phase plan to install a system that detects and disables unauthorized mobile devices inside prison facilities.
He also revealed that a fast-tracked bill is undergoing legal review to criminalize the possession or use of mobile phones by inmates or prison staff.
The proposed legislation includes penalties of up to three years in prison.