Thirty-two prisoners who completed the first drug rehabilitation program at Maafushi Jail have been handed over to their families.
No drug rehabilitation programs targeted at prisoners have been conducted in any Maldivian prisons before. The first batch of the rehabilitation program began in March this year, and those who completed the program were handed over to their families on Saturday.
Home Minister Imran Abdulla and Commissioner of Prisons Ahmed Mohamed Fulhu met the prisoners before their release on Saturday. The minister advised and encouraged the prisoners to live as role models.
In a tweet, Minister Imran said that the release of prisoners who completed a prison drug rehabilitation program for the first time in the country's history is a huge step taken toward saving society from the scourge of drugs.
According to Maldives Correctional Service, the activities of the prisoners who were released will be closely monitored for a year.
Seventy percent of the prisoners in Maldivian prisons are arrested for drug offenses. The drug rehabilitation program conducted for prisoners includes a detox phase as well as an education component explaining some religious practices and teaching them different skills.
