The former defense Minister and Dhagethy Constituency’s Parliament Member Ahmed Nazim said that preventing, reducing crimes and rehabilitating criminals should be prioritised rather than establishing more prisons and improving prisons’ conditions.
Some prisoners being kept at Dhoonidhoo Prison, under the custody of Maldives Police Service went on hunger strike on Monday night, to protest. These prisoners were kept in Dhoonidhoo due to lack of space in Maafushi prison which is administered by the Maldives Correctional Service. According to the police, there are 58 prisoners to be transferred to the custody of the Maldives Correctional Service.
Referring to the issue Minister of Home Affairs Imran Abdulla said that they would be finding a solution to space constraints of prisons next year.
In response to the Minister, MP Nazim said that preventing, reducing crimes and rehabilitating criminals should be prioritised than establishing more jails and improving jails’ conditions.
The police said that prisons are full due to lack of space in prisons administered by the Maldives Correctional Service. The Maafushi prison has a capacity of 1300 people. However, there are 2000 prisoners in that prison.
The Minister said that when the prison-related projects planned for next year is complete, the space constraints in prisons will improve to a greater extent highlighting the prison to be established in Hdh. Neykurendhoo.
“There will be major changes in prisons when the prison projects planned will be completed in the year ahead,” said the Minister. While a prison will be established in Neykurendhoo nex year, there will be a change in the prison system of the Maldives., the Minister further said.
