Maldives Correctional Service is facing ‘chaotic’ days, said prisons commissioner Ahmed Shihan.

Authorities arrested numerous people during the state of emergency, including protesters and politicians. Some of the arrested remain in jail, including former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and Supreme Court Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed.

The commissioner said this in a speech at the inaugural ceremony of the 21st basic training programme at Maafushi Prison on Monday.

Commissioner Shihan thanked the officers for their work during ‘this time of hardships’, and advised them to make use of all that they learn in the training programme when joining the workforce.

Speaking on the history of the training programme, commissioner Shihan said that the first prisons officers were sent to train in Australia.

29 male prisons officers are participating in the 17-week training programme.