The prisoners housed at the Special Protection Unit (SPU) of Asseyri Prison have been temporarily transferred to house arrest following Commissioner of Prisons Mohamed Husham’s decision to close down SPU for renovations.
The prisoners were brought to Male’ and transferred to house arrest on the night of April 04, 2016.
After the renovations are completed, the prisoners transferred to house arrest will be transferred back to SPU after 30 days. Currently, the SPU at Maafushi Prison is also undergoing renovations.
Commissioner of Prisons Mohamed Husham had decided to close down SPU for renovations as per the advice given by the Minister of Home Affairs Honourable Umar Naseer following an inspection of Asseyri Prison by the Inspector of Correctional Service Mohamed Ibrahim.
Inspector of Correctional Service is appointed by the Minister of Home Affairs under clause 9 of the Prisons and Parole Act and reports directly to the Minister as per the clause 11 of the Act. The responsibilities of the Inspector are mandated in clause 10 of the Act; and 10.1 states that the Inspector is required to check the prison premises for proper adherence to the regulations.
As the head of Maldives Correctional Service, the Commissioner of Prisons is answerable to the Minister of Home Affairs under the clause 24 of the Prisons and Parole Act. The Clause 10 (A)1 of the regulation number 2015/R-127 (Regulation on handling prisoners, people under arrest for suspicion of crime and people arrested under a court order) drafted and gazetted under the Prison and Parole Act, states that prisoners can be transferred to another location if there is an issue of overcrowding at the centres; while clause 10(A)2 of the Regulation suggest that prisoners can also be relocated in order to provide protection.
Maldives Correctional Service continues with its commitment to ensuring a safe and secure environment for inmates and the public.
