THE ISLAND’S first prisoner complaint boxes were unveiled at the Central Prisons yesterday, during a visit by Members of the Cyprus National Institution for the Protection of Human Rights.
Law Commissioner and Institution President Lida Koursoumba said the installation of the five complaint boxes was “a big step forward” in introducing a new frame of mind towards prisoner treatment.
“These are special boxes where prisoners can put any suggestions or complaints regarding prison treatment – accessible from all prison wings, so everyone can use them,” she said.
“We have the only keys so we can open the boxes. They will be examined by us and treated accordingly. They will not be censored or scrutinised by the prison authorities.”
Koursoumba said the boxes were one of prisoner issues discussed at a visit to the Central Prisons by Institution members earlier this month, where the topic of life imprisonment terms was also tabled.
“We have agreed we will review the whole theory of the term ‘life imprisonment’. Recent legal theorists see life imprisonment as a specified term, which is not always for life.”
She said other countries had a mechanism to review life imprisonment cases, adding, “Society’s purpose is to rehabilitate these people, not to lock them away unconditionally.
“The government and the Minister of Justice agree with us that this should be examined. As Law Commissioner, I will prepare a draft for Parliament.”
She said cases involving individuals serving life sentences and requiring medical treatment abroad should also be reviewed.
“If such a person goes abroad for treatment, does this time away count as part of his sentence, for example?”
She also stressed that debtors should not be imprisoned for their inability to pay debts – new Attorney-general Solon Nikitas ruled in May that individuals convicted for debt offences could no longer have their prison sentences suspended. Nikitas’ interpretation put an end to the practise of his predecessor Alecos Markides who suspended prison sentences for debtors through Presidential pardons.
“Imprisonment should not be an option for such debtors – this is another issue we will promote,” she said.
Council of Europe (CoE) Commissioner for Human Rights Alvaro Gil-Robles singled out overcrowding as one of the major flaws at the Nicosia Central Prisons on a visit to Cyprus last month.
But Kouroumbas stressed that the problem had been greatly relieved since Gil-Robles’ visit.
“Overcrowding is not as pressing an issue now due to the opening of the new prison wing.”
