Maldives Correctional Service (MCS) has stated that they had used excessive force and pepper spray as inmates in Maafushi Prison had failed to follow their commands and continued to harass officers, on Monday night.

While media reports have it that MCS officers had used tear gas following a brawl on Monday night, MCS had released a statement on Tuesday, explaining in detail how the operation was carried out.

It reads that inmates had begun a strike regarding the scuffle at Maafushi Prison on Thursday which led to the revelation of torture and mistreatment of inmates, refusing to return to their prison cells, bending prison regulations and disrupting the overall peace among other prisoners.

While officers are to have continually commanded them to quietly return to their cells, the statement reads that they had begun using excessive force only to maintain peace inside the unit.

Officers had used force as mandated under the law and once the operation began, most inmates had quietly returned to their cells.

They had then used pepper spray on the inmates that had refused to abide by their commands even after the operation began.

The statement further reads that the operation was captured on video from the beginning.

A brawl took place at the remand unit in Maafushi Prison last Thursday, with sources saying that inmates have since begun a hunger strike.

Home Ministry launched a search operation in Maafushi Prison on Sunday, following the incident on Thursday night. They said that "illegal" items have been confiscated in the operation, including "sharpened' weapons.