ESG commander suspended following violence at Maafushi Prison

A commander of Maldives Correctional Service’s Emergency Support Group (ESG) has been suspended in connection to the excessive show of force by guards at Maafushi Prison which resulted in injuries to inmates.

The decision to suspend the commander was confirmed by Home Minister Sheikh Imran Abdulla this Saturday afternoon.

Speaking to press at the No. 3 Jetty upon return to Male’ following a visit to Maafushi Prison, Imran said the commander will remain under suspension pending the outcome the investigation into the incident.

Excessive force was used on inmates in response to an attack on a prison guard carried out by a sole inmate on Thursday.

Families of inmates’ report that some of the prison guards forcibly removed inmates from two 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, following the attack on the guard on Thursday.

Ministry of Home Affairs, in a statement this Saturday, said that the Maldivian administration, did not, in any way, condone the excessive use of force by the prison guards.

It said that the Maldivian administration condemned the excessive use of force, and will conduct a thorough investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable.

“….and we assure the beloved Maldivian people that the administration will make necessary reforms to the prison system to prevent such incidents from happening again,” pledged the ministry in its statement.