Retired brigadier Giorgos Ioannou formally took over as permanent director of the Prisons Department on Monday, pledging equal treatment for all and strict but fair enforcement of the rules after almost four years without a permanent head.
“No one will be above the law, and no one will be treated by different standards,” Ioannou said at a handover ceremony at the Central Prisons, describing the principles of command, equality before the law, meritocracy and equal treatment as non-negotiable.
Ioannou, a retired National Guard officer who has commanded the LOK special forces and was Cyprus’s first military attaché to the United States, is the first permanent director since Anna Aristotelous left at the end of 2022. Aristotelous had led the prisons for more than eight years, first as acting director from October 2014 and as permanent director from April 2016.
Four people have served as acting director since early 2023: Ioannis Kapnoullas, Charalambos Philippides, Konstantinos Konstantinides and Maria Siali, a senior prisons officer who had held the post since December 2, 2025.
Justice and Public Order Minister Costas Fytiris told the ceremony there was no room for corruption, abuse of power or conduct that damaged the credibility of the service and, by extension, the rule of law. It was the first time a change of leadership at the prisons had been marked by a formal ceremony, a deliberate choice, he said, as the occasion concerned above all the institution and its role in justice, public order and public safety, not only the people involved.
The new director
Addressing inmates, Ioannou said the state had a duty to ensure security and the smooth running of the prison while respecting human dignity. The rules would be enforced strictly and fairly, without discrimination and with respect for the law and everyone’s rights.
He pledged to be present for staff, to listen, and to assess and decide, saying his door would be open to all and stressing communication at every rank. Consistency, responsibility and professionalism would be recognised, and problems tackled fairly and decisively.
He was not taking over in the belief that everything had to change, he said, but intended to assess the current situation objectively, keep what worked and improve what needed changing.
Ioannou linked rehabilitation to education, vocational training, psychosocial support and proper preparation for reintegration. His military career had taught him the value of leadership, organisation, discipline, training and people, he said, though the prisons had their own particular mission and culture.
The minister
Fytiris urged staff to show professionalism, integrity, a sense of justice and equal treatment. The uniform conferred authority but above all carried responsibility, he said, and its standing was earned every day through the conduct of the person wearing it.
He called on the new management to stay close to staff, to be fair and demanding, to take responsibility and to recognise effort. It should tackle problems as quickly and effectively as possible and build trust between management and staff, with equal treatment and respect for all inmates.
Pointing to overcrowding, staff shortages and outdated facilities, Fytiris set out his priorities: modern and secure facilities, better organisation, staff training, use of technology and meaningful rehabilitation and reintegration programmes. The state’s high demands on staff came with a duty to support them, give them the means they needed and recognise their contribution.
“Deprivation of liberty is the punishment, but the loss of human dignity is not, and cannot be, part of it,” he said. The prison’s success was also measured by how many people did not return, he added, urging society to give them a second chance.
Outgoing acting director
Handing over, Siali described a demanding period of overcrowding and increased operational needs. She cited infrastructure projects and technological security systems, more staff training and the development of therapeutic and reintegration programmes.
She thanked staff for their cooperation and sacrifices, saying leadership meant being present, taking part and being willing to take responsibility in difficult conditions. Discipline and enforcement of the law could go hand in hand with respect for inmates’ dignity, she said.
Bishop Christoforos of Karpasia blessed the proceedings before the speeches, and the handover documents were signed afterwards. Police Chief Themistos Arnaoutis, police spokesman Vyron Vyronos, Chief Fire Officer Nikos Longinos and MPs also attended.
