RIGA, Feb 5 (LETA) - Prisoners from Jelgava and Daugavpils prisons will also be transferred to the new Liepaja Prison this year, Latvian Prison Administration informed LETA.

For security reasons, the Prison Administration cannot provide more detailed information on this process.

This week, 166 inmates from the old Liepaja Prison were transferred to the new prison building. At the moment, the new prison employs about 150 people, which is the number required for the current number of prisoners. As the number of inmates increases, the number of prison employees will also be increased, the Prison Administration explained.

The administration confirmed that the premises and infrastructure of the new prison were fully operational and that inmates were provided with heating, water and catering.

The old building of Liepaja Prison on Darza Street will be put up for auction, said the Prison Administration. The Justice Ministry has concluded that the building is not necessary for performance of the ministry's functions. Liepaja City Council has also decided that the property is not necessary for the municipality's autonomous functions.

As reported, the new Liepaja Prison started work on Tuesday. Accordingly, the old Liepaja Prison has been closed down but continues its full activity as a structural unit of the Prison Administration.

The new prison is for men only and for inmates from Kurzeme and neighboring regions.

The new Liepaja Prison will accommodate 1,200 inmates. The entire complex will comprise six different buildings. The total area of the site is 305,116 square meters, with a total planned floor space of approximately 37,400 square meters.

Jelgava Prison, as well as the Griva branch of Daugavgriva Prison might also be closed after the new Liepaja Prison opens, Justice Ministry's State Secretary Mihails Papsujevics said in September 2025.