Prisons congested by 40 percent, says minister
24 ޖޫން 2020 | ބުދަ 11:28There are 400 convicts more than the capacity
Sheikh Imran Abdulla, Minister of Home Affairs at parliament | People's Majlis
The Minister of Home Affairs, Sheikh Imran Abdulla has revealed that prisons are congested by 4 percent.
The minister was summoned for questioning at the People’s Majlis on Wednesday, and said this in response to a question posed by the South-Mahchangoalhi constituency MP, Ahmed Haitham.
He revealed that four prison facilities are being managed under the Maldives Correctional Service and all four facilities have a total capacity of 1,300 convicts.
However, population at prisons has risen to 1,800, stressed Imran, who added that this is a 40 percent more than its actual capacity.
Further, the minister added that while work is underway to establish prison facilities to ensure prison congestion is avoided, prisoners are being transferred to these facilities under different levels.
The minister also shared details of the procedures being followed for convicts supporting violent, extremism during the parliamentary sitting.
As such, Imran note that they have done their best to separate convicts under said category, from other inmates.
Work is also underway to build a special unit to accommodate convicts supporting violent extremism and this was delayed due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. If it had proceeded as planned, convicts would have been transferred to the unit about a month back.
Earlier, the Commissioner of Prisons Ahmed Mohamed Fulhu, revealed that those convicted of smaller crimes will be accommodated together with those convicted of major crimes due to the lack of space.
The corrections service has launched special efforts in regards to the rising number of convicts being incarcerated for supporting violent extremism. As such, through the support extended from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) authorities have been conducting assessments to identify such individuals and making arrangements to rehabilitate them at prison facilities.
The authority has also been conducting training sessions for specific officers, to actively stop convicts from attempting to spread extremism among other convicts.
