Slight drop in jail numbers

Greek prisons remain overcrowded despite a drop in the number of inmates due to a law introduced in 2015 that allows the release of certain convicts, particularly those with serious health problems.

According to the latest official figures, there are currently 9,815 inmates in Greek prisons, slightly above the maximum capacity of those institutions, which is 9,573 people.

Until recently, the population in Greek prisons had been in excess of 10,000.

The drop followed the introduction in 2015 of a law by then justice minister Nikos Paraskevopoulos aimed at decongesting Greek jails. The measure resulted in the release of hundreds of Greek and foreign convicts.