The situation in the prisons has been threatening the safety of the staff and inmates alike for years, Isotita trade union warned on Thursday, “sounding the alarm before there were victims in the line of duty”.

“The outdated buildings, combined with alarming overcrowding, has created an environment that effectively negates in practice every concept of penitence, as the inmates are living in conditions that undermine human dignity and preclude smooth reintegration, thus breeding violence and tension,” Isotita said.

“In this explosive climate, the staff are called on daily to manage crises in a working environment that does not meet the fundamental security regulations.”

The trade union said it was a “pressing necessity” to differentiate the penitentiary and prosecution roles, as prison wardens were forced to police the prisons, searching for and confiscating forbidden items and substances, thus being targeted by criminals, placing themselves and their families in danger.

Isotita demanded that the police exclusively carry out these investigations or a special team be trained to do so.

It adds that the only viable solution would be for a new prison to be built – away from the buffer zone and outside residential areas – as the one in operation had completed its lifecycle.