Minister of Homeland Security, Labour and Technology Ali Ihusan has said the Maldives will develop prisons that meet international standards and serve as rehabilitation centres that Maldivians can be proud of within the next five years.
The Minister made the remarks while responding to a question from a member of the public during PSM’s “Ahaa” forum.
Minister Ihusan said prison capacity was significantly limited when the current government took office. However, he said the Government has so far added more than 400 spaces to the prison system, with a further 100 spaces expected to be added by the end of this month.
The Minister stressed that the purpose of increasing prison capacity was not to imprison more people under any circumstances. He said capacity was necessary because people who need to be detained, rehabilitated and eventually reintegrated into society must be accommodated in prisons as part of efforts to address the country’s current crime situation.
Highlighting efforts to improve prison conditions, Minister Ihusaan said the Government had also provided basic services that were lacking in many prison cells when it took office.
The Minister also expressed confidence that, if President Dr Mohamed Muizzu receives an additional term in office, the number of people involved in criminal activity in the Maldives will be significantly reduced.
The Maldives Correctional Service had previously said that 370 additional prison spaces had been established as part of efforts to increase capacity. The Correctional Service has set a target of adding 500 additional spaces during the current administration.
As a long-term solution to overcrowding and other prison-related issues, the Government is planning to develop a central prison under a “One Prison Concept”, where all services would be provided within a single facility.
The Government also considers the presence of prisons on two islands where people live, particularly as local tourism expands, to be a significant concern for both the Government and the public. As a solution, developing a modern prison in the northern atolls is a major priority for the Government.