Maldives Correctional Service (MCS) has disclosed that 55 percent of those sentenced to prison last month were taken in for drug-related offenses.

Figures made public by MCS shows that 43 people were sentenced to jail in January 2023. Of these, 55 percent were involved in drug-related crimes.

Additionally, statistics shows that 16 percent of the 43 people jailed in January account for robbery-related crimes.

According to the statistics publicized by MCS the proportion of people arrested for trespassing offenses is 7 percent.

Furthermore, four percent of the people sentenced in January were for using sharp objects in public places.

The Maldives Correctional Service is training prison officers to meet The United Nations minimum standards for the treatment of prisoners, often known as The Nelson Mandela Guidelines, which establish the basic standards for the treatment of inmates.

The Guidelines are founded on the need to treat all inmates with dignity and value as human beings, as well as to prohibit torture and other types of ill-treatment. They provide extensive counsel on a wide range of subjects, from disciplinary actions to medical care.