The Human Rights Commission (HRCM) has deemed Asseyri Jail as unfit for juvenile detention.
HRCM Wednesday said the commission found that the Juvenile Detention Center established at the jail is unfit to hold juveniles while conducting an investigation. It also said the detention center was not in accordance with International Conventions and Maldivian laws.
The Commission said when it visited the Asseyri Prison in November 2020, a new detention center for juveniles was being constructed. Maldives Correctional Services had at that time informed the commission that the new detention center would be ready within three months. However, when the commission re-visited the jail on September 14 this year, it found the juvenile detention center still incomplete, said HRCM.
HRCM has now instructed Correctional Services to cease using the existing detention center from October 14 onward, and to transfer those detained at the center to a safer environment. Correctional Services has also been instructed to share their plan on transferring those already at the facility to a better facility, before October 24.
