African couple detained in inhumane condition for months at Larnaca Airport in south Cyprus

Two African nationals have been held in a detention facility at Larnaca Airport in south Cyprus for more than two months.

According to verified reports, which Cyprus Police have not disputed, an African man and woman arrived in Larnaca on a flight from Egypt on September 14.

They were denied entry into Cyprus following passport control and have since been detained at the airport facility, a situation that continued until Tuesday November 19.

Greek Cypriot police spokesperson Kyriaki Lambrianidou confirmed the situation to reporters, stating that the Police Aliens and Immigration Service is taking all necessary measures to ensure proper living conditions for the two individuals.

Lambrianidou explained that whilst the couple are recognised political refugees in South Africa, they were denied entry due to national legislation and placed in temporary detention.

She noted that their subsequent asylum application was rejected by the Asylum Service, and they have now appealed this decision and await the examination of their appeal.

The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture’s (CPT) 2024 report, based on an on-site visit in May 2023, highlighted concerns about the Larnaca Airport detention facilities, particularly noting that detainees lack access to fresh air due to the absence of windows.

The report explicitly stated that detention conditions at both Larnaca and Paphos airport reception facilities are only acceptable for temporary detention lasting several hours.

It criticised Cypriot authorities for failing to implement the CPT’s recommendation that foreign nationals should not be held at airport facilities for more than 24 hours, or if unavoidable, should be transferred to suitable detention facilities.

The CPT recommended that Cypriot authorities should ensure foreign nationals detained at Larnaca and Paphos airport facilities for more than 24 hours be transferred to appropriate detention facilities.

It also advised that all legal safeguards for detained persons should be made available in an accessible format and in languages they understand.