Prison guards at the Central Prisons held a spontaneous protest to show support for Deputy Director Haris Filippidis, whose position is under threat following the escape of convicted lifer Doros Theofanous.
The protest comes after the Nikos Christodoulides instructed the Justice Minister to seek Filippidis’ termination due to the incident, with plans to appoint Constantinos Konstantinidis as his replacement.
Union representatives from ISOTITA and PASYDY organized the demonstration, urging prison guards to continue their protests in support of Filippidis, whom they credit with boosting staff morale and implementing key reforms.
Union leaders Giorgos Maltezos and Andreas Nearchou highlighted Filippidis’ positive influence, stressing that he was abroad during the escape and had no role in granting leave to the prisoner.
Maltezos called on the President to reconsider the decision, emphasizing Filippidis’ integrity and contributions to prison staff. Both unions argue that removing him would disrupt ongoing reforms and harm the department.
Another protest is planned for October 1st to further advocate for Filippidis’ retention.
