"Asylum seekers who irregularly enter Cyprus and claim asylum are initially deprived of their liberty in Pournara. After their 2023 visit to the centre, The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) concluded that people held in Pournara Centre are de facto deprived of their liberty. People were only permitted to leave the facility if: i) the registration procedure was complete, ii) the results of mandatory assessments were final (including vulnerability, age, and medical evaluations) and iii) the person provided a proof of future address to the Asylum Service. The CPT considers that the deprivation of liberty in the Pournara Centre may well amount to arbitrary detention, which undermines detainees from effectively accessing safeguards against ill-treatment."

“The living conditions in the facility had much improved and the delegation noted that many of its 2023 recommendations in this regard had been implemented. The delegation was encouraged to see that in the “main camp” and “safe zones” tents had been replaced with prefabricated units. The facility’s general state of hygiene was much better; a cleaning programme was in place and refurbishment of the centre was underway. Additionally, the delegation found separate showering and toilet areas for men, women and children, most of which were clean. Despite this, as in 2023, cockroaches continued to be commonplace throughout the facility.”

"Persons held in the Centre were accommodated in severely overcrowded living conditions frequently offered only 1 to 2m² of personal living space in either prefabricated plastic containers, plastic shelters or tents. Many of these structures were in a dilapidated and worn-out condition, with broken doors and earth floors. The lack of windows and often broken air-conditioners contributed to making the containers poorly ventilated, mouldy and humid. Persons placed in containers, including single mothers and children and unaccompanied and separated children, were often forced to share beds and dirty sheets. Further, the tents and plastic containers were inappropriate for the long lengths of stays due to the lack of electricity and hot water Persons were forced to sleep on worn out mattresses or directly on sheets placed on the ground, crammed next to each other like ‘sardines’ in unhygienic conditions. When it rained the mattresses absorbed water, causing mould to form on the walls and in the corners of the structures. Pests were commonplace. The temperature inside these facilities was well over 32°C (in Spring) when the temperatures inherent to Cyprus were not even close to their maximum. The toilets and showers in almost all parts of the Centre were dilapidated causing the water to leak all around, including outside, creating puddles of stagnant water. Some residents refused to use the dirty toilets and showers and instead used the communal outside areas for their toilet needs, resulting in piles of excrement and rivulets of urine. These factors cumulatively led to a foul smelling unsanitary situation which represent a clear health hazard. The security staff were unwilling to do their rounds of control due to this situation, as noted many times in the official records.
In the CPT’s view such living conditions may well amount to inhuman and degrading treatment and made recommendations to address these issues urgently."