Maldives Correctional Services has confirmed that the unrest at Maafushi Prison has been controlled with the authority using appropriate force to de-escalate the situation at the prison.
Reports that unit six of the prison were on a hunger strike circulated on social media on Monday. ESG and SO police in riot gear were active at the prison in an attempt to gain control of the situation. A backup police was also dispatched to Maafushi Prison on the request of correctional Service late Monday night.
A statement released by Corrections read that following Thursday's unrest at the jail where six inmates ad a prisons officer were injured, several inmates at the prison had continued to harm offices and defy their orders and prison rules. Several inmates refused to go back to their cells at the designated time even after warnings were issued by prison officers.
Corrections said as the general condition of the jail was being affected due to their actions, appropriate force was used to return the non-compliant inmates back to their cells, including the use of pepper spray.
When the execution of the operation commenced, several inmates complied with orders and returned to their cells.
The unrest that occurred last Thursday took place while an inmate was being transferred to a cell. The inmate assaulted an officer with an iron rod, and prison officers had engaged in excessive use of force to gain control of the situation after it escalated.
