Opposition voices concern for Yameen's safety in prison, calls for Munaz, Imran to resign

The Opposition Progressive Congress has voiced concern for the safety of incarcerated former president Abdulla Yameen at Maafushi prison and has called for the resignation of Minister of Home Affairs, Imran Abdulla and the Commissioner of Prisons, Abdulla Munaz.

The opposition, comprised of Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) and People’s National Congress (PNC) released a statement voicing their concerns after reports of a confrontation between prisoners and corrections officers at Maafushi Prison surfaced on Sunday.

While condemning the incident, the opposition stated that the prison has violated international laws and conventions, adding that there is a huge concern for the safety of the former president, Abdulla Yameen, who is currently serving five years in prison.

Further, the statement reads that the delay in prison reform and repeat incidences of police brutality are unacceptable and evident of the incumbent government's incapability to bring about reform. Additionally, they claim that the current regime has failed to bring prison reform and ensure the rights of prisoners.

As such, they called for Minister of Home Affairs, Imran Abdulla and the Commissioner of Prisons, Abdulla Munaz to resign.

They concluded by calling for the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) to investigate the human rights violations that took place at Maafushi prison.