Central Jail of Nicosia
Encyclopedia
The Central Jail of Nicosia is the only correctional facility in Cyprus
. It is located to the west of the walled part of the Cypriot city of Nicosia
, south of the Green Line. In the facility are detained convicted and unconvicted prisoners of both sexes and of all age groups from 16 years and over.
The Nicosia central prison was built by the British
in 1894 and were in use until 1955 as a place of detention of those condemned by the courts to imprisonment, but also as a place of temporary detention of persons under judicial decree.
It is known primarily for the "Imprisoned Graves
" where 13 EOKA
fighters were interred. Nine of them were hanged by the British, three were killed in action and one died in hospital from his battle wounds.
During the Turkish invasion of Cyprus
(1974) battles raged around the Central Jail of Lefkosia. Vastly outnumbered, the Cypriot national guardsmen - aided by corrections officers - managed to fight off the Turks and keep the jail with its Imprisoned Tombs from being captured.
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
. It is located to the west of the walled part of the Cypriot city of Nicosia
Nicosia
Nicosia from , known locally as Lefkosia , is the capital and largest city in Cyprus, as well as its main business center. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, with the southern and the northern portions divided by a Green Line...
, south of the Green Line. In the facility are detained convicted and unconvicted prisoners of both sexes and of all age groups from 16 years and over.
The Nicosia central prison was built by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1894 and were in use until 1955 as a place of detention of those condemned by the courts to imprisonment, but also as a place of temporary detention of persons under judicial decree.
It is known primarily for the "Imprisoned Graves
Imprisoned Graves
The "Imprisoned Graves" is a small cemetery located in the Central Jail of Nicosia, where 13 EOKA fighters, during the 1955-1959 liberation struggle for the liberation of Cyprus from the United Kingdom, were interred...
" where 13 EOKA
EOKA
EOKA was an anticolonial, antiimperialist nationalist organisation with the ultimate goal of "The liberation of Cyprus from the British yoke". Although not stated in its initial declaration of existence which was printed and distributed on the 1st of April 1955, EOKA also had a target of achieving...
fighters were interred. Nine of them were hanged by the British, three were killed in action and one died in hospital from his battle wounds.
During the Turkish invasion of Cyprus
Turkish invasion of Cyprus
The Turkish invasion of Cyprus, launched on 20 July 1974, was a Turkish military invasion in response to a Greek military junta backed coup in Cyprus...
(1974) battles raged around the Central Jail of Lefkosia. Vastly outnumbered, the Cypriot national guardsmen - aided by corrections officers - managed to fight off the Turks and keep the jail with its Imprisoned Tombs from being captured.