President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has decided to pardon convicts incarcerated for minor offences, home minster Azleen Ahmed said Friday.
The minister told Avas that president Yameen wishes to give minor offenders the chance to return to society and lead a respectable life.
However, the minister was quick to reassure that the pardons would not include people incarcerated for violent crimes such as assault and drug trafficking.
The minor offenders would also be granted conditional pardons, he added.
According to Azleen, the government is looking to constitute a special committee to oversee the pardoned convicts, draft policies and conditions for their release.
"This would be a huge endeavour. A lot of thinking needs to go into this. We need to closely monitor the behaviour and conduct of the convicts after they're pardoned," minister said.
