1,591 prisoners in 3 jails, detention centre, says commissioner

Commissioner of Prisons Hassan Zareer has said there are currently 1,591 inmates from 176 islands held across the country’s correctional facilities.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Maldives Correctional Service headquarters at the Hulhumalé Jail grounds on Monday, Zareer said the correctional system is presently responsible for three prisons and the Immigration Detention Centre.

Including detainees in all facilities, the total prison population stands at 1,718, he said.

President Mohamed Muizzu attended the ceremony and officially inaugurated the new Corrections Headquarters building.

Zareer said that when he assumed office, the corrections system was facing significant operational challenges. He noted that although the institution was established more than 50 years ago, this is the first time administrative work has been carried out from a dedicated headquarters building.

“Over the past 20 years, the institution has functioned across six different locations,” he said.

He added that corrections officers perform an important national role, managing both high-risk and general inmates within the system.