Home Minister visits Maafushi Prison after guards accused of beating up inmates

Minister of Home Affairs, Sheikh Imran Abdulla travelled to K. Maafushi Prison this Saturday morning after some of the guards at the prison were accused of beating up inmates.

Ministry of Home Affairs reports that Imran, during his visit, will ask for clarification regarding the incident from prison officials, and personally assess the situation.

Imran was escorted in his visit by Commissioner General of Prisons, Abdulla Muaz, as well as senior officials from relevant government ministries.

Ministry of Home Affairs has provided assurance it will investigative the excessive use of force on inmates and take necessary action to hold the perpetrators accountable.

The ministry also pledged to reform the prison system.

Families of the inmates report that following an attack on a prison guard by an inmate on Thursday, some of the prison guards forcibly removed inmates from their cells and proceeded to commit acts of brutality such as shaving off their heads, using pepper spray on their genitals, beating them with batons and other forms of torture.

Maldives Correctional Service has issued a press statement denying its guards shaved off heads of inmate or did anything similar.

Inmates at Maafushi Prison also held a protest on Friday alleging delay in medical attention to inmates who were beaten up.