Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusaan said that the reduction of the age of criminal responsibility in the Maldives is aimed at treating children rather than punishing them.
In an exclusive interview with PSM News, Minister Ihusaan emphasised the importance of early identification and treatment of children vulnerable to crime as a key measure to address issues. He noted that while the current age of criminal responsibility in the Maldives is over 15 years, the government has decided to lower it to 12 years. The decision, he said, has sparked concerns on social media about potentially creating a generation of criminals.
Additionally, Minister Ihusaan highlighted that extensive investigations in the first six months of the year have been conducted to identify children involved in criminal environments. He outlined two primary solutions to prevent children from engaging in crime, which is treating individuals currently involved and reintegrating them into society, and preventing their recruitment into gangs. He pointed out that gangs often target children aged 12-15 because they are not held accountable for crimes.
Furthermore, Minister Ihusaan announced the government's plan to develop a special island dedicated to identifying and treating children from criminal environments. He stated that the Social Council has approved the concept, and it is set to be submitted to the Cabinet in the future.
Responding to political criticisms, Minister Ihusaan argued that it is not productive to critique policies implemented in a short period after a five-year term, especially when previous administrations failed to introduce proper reforms.