President: Trials of suspects detained for over one year will wrap up by March’s end

The trials will wrap up by the end of March for suspects who have been in jail for over one year on court orders for indefinite remand, promised President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on Sunday night, as he attended a public meeting with residents of Hulhumale’ Phase I.

According to a report published by the Prosecutor General’s Office in March, there were four suspects counting their sixth year in jail while awaiting trial, eight counting their fifth year, and 22 more counting their fourth year.

The issue of indefinite detentions is something that President Muizzu had pledged to resolve during his 2023 presidential campaign.

During Sunday night’s meeting, one resident expressed hope President Muizzu will resolve the issue of indefinite detentions as he promised during his campaign. He also said that unlike previous administration, he believes the incumbent one has taken measures towards resolving the issue.

He spoke about the poor conditions those detained indefinitely face.

“According to the statistics for May, there were 580 people who requested to see a doctor. 59.8 percent of them had been in detention for over five months,” he said.

He expressed concern over the lack of effective measures to resolve the issue.

Responding to this, President Muizzu said that the trials of people who have been detained for over one year will wrap up by the end of March.

“Those who have been there for over one year will have their court process completely wrap up over the next three months, and their will be closure, one way or other. It will not be long now,” he said.

Citing Attorney General Ahmed Usham, President Muizzu said the court cases of other suspects in indefinite detention will also be fast-tracked after that.  

In May, the PGO introduced a monitoring mechanism, which allows individuals detained indefinitely to get released with ankle monitors if they meet certain requirements.

The PGO has said that only suspects whose threat to the community can be minimized with ankle monitors will be released under the mechanism.

The office said that suspects of serious felonies such as murder, terrorism, sexual abuse of children and major drug trafficking cases will not be eligible for release.

The monitoring mechanism seeks to address the issue of multiple suspects who are held in jail pending the outcome of trial, which sometimes stretch on for years.

In October, the PGO said that some 200 suspects jailed pending the outcome of their trials have requested to be released with ankle monitors.