Two committees to summon officials reg. use of excessive force at Maafushi Prison
The two committees are; committee on human rights and gender, and committee on national security and foreign relations
Emergency meeting of the committee on national security and foreign relations
Following reports that excessive force was used against prisoners during a scuffle at Maafushi Prison, two parliament committees have decided to summon senior officials of the relevant institutions for questioning.
The two committees are; committee on human rights and gender, and committee on national security and foreign relations.
Members of the human rights and gender committee deliberated on the matter on Saturday morning, but are yet to announce a date for the summoning.
The committee on national security and foreign relations held an emergency meeting in the afternoon, issuing summons for 8:30pm tonight.
Summoned are Home Minister Imran Abdulla and Commissioner of Prisons Abdulla Munaz.
The brawl is to have taken place on Thursday, with the Maldives Correctional Service (MCS) saying that it occurred after “a prisoner assaulted an officer.”
The home ministry has since said that undue force had been used to control the scuffle, with local media outlets reporting that “officers had taken out five prisoners from their cells, handcuffed and dropped them to the ground before beating them with batons and pepper spraying their groin area.” They are to have forcefully shaved off their heads as well.
While MCS denies this, the home minister inspected the prison on Saturday.
The incumbent government began work to reform the prisons shortly after assuming power, with the home ministry forming a seven-member committee in March. While this committee has completed its report, an addition committee has been formed to audit its report.
Carrying out an audit of jails is a high priority of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, whose administration is filled with a number of officials that were detained and allegedly tortured during the previous administration, including current home minister.
Following his release in November last year, Imran noted that the current conditions in these facilities are “so bad” that the individuals “would require rehabilitation after completing their sentences.”
Around 18 convicts had died during former President Abdulla Yameen’s five-year tenure.
