Under the new correctional code to be tabled soon in the Greek parliament, conjugal visits will be allowed in the country’s prisons. That means that inmates in Greece will be able to have intercourse with their partners during scheduled private visits, a measure that has been implemented for years in most European countries.

The generally recognized basis for permitting such visits nowadays is to preserve family bonds and increase the chances of success for a prisoner’s return to life after his/her release. This privilege can also serve as an incentive to motivate inmates to comply with the various day-to-day rules and regulations of the prison.

Justice Minister Charalambos Athanasiou stated that the parliamentary committee has agreed to accept the relevant recommendations made by its members and underlined that it’s high time Greece implemented this measure, which has been in effect for years in many European countries.

However, the lack of available space in Greek prisons due to overcrowding may be a problem. According to data, over 11,000 individuals are incarcerated at the moment in Greek jails, although these have been designed to hold a maximum of 9,800 people.