The justice and health ministries have agreed a package of measures to address problems in the transfer and examination of prisoners at public hospitals and the handling of psychiatric cases, following a joint ministerial meeting.
The meeting, between the justice minister, Kostas Fytiris, and the health minister, Neofytos Charalambides, was also attended by the legislation commissioner, Sofia Cleopa Hadjikyriakou.
According to a statement issued afterwards, officials agreed to create special arrangements at accident and emergency departments for the handling of prisoners, and to amend the legislative framework governing psychiatric cases.
The measures also include strengthening the forensic service and the gradual reopening of mortuaries outside Nicosia. Officials are separately pursuing the creation of properly configured holding areas within hospitals, aimed at reducing delays and cutting the hours police officers currently spend supervising prisoners during medical examinations.
