Report underscores overcrowding at Greek prisons

Greek prisons are overcrowded and have a relatively lower budget compared to other European Union countries, according to the "Prisons in Europe 2005-2015" report published on Tuesday by the Council of Europe.

The report conducted by the University of Lausanne and funded by the EU showed that Greece's prison population rate (inmates per 100,000 inhabitants) rose by 39 percent in 2014/15 compared to 2005.

Greece had 79 inmates per 100,000 in 2005 and 109 in 2015. Foreign inmates rose by 37 percent. The total number of inmates in 2015 was 11,798, a 35 percent increase compared to 2005, when it was 8,722.

The report also showed that prison suicides dropped by 31 percent.