Post mortems to be conducted on all prison deaths

Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusan has said that in any cases of future deaths in prison, the body will be released to family only after a post mortem is conducted.

Currently, there is widespread speculation on social media that markings seen on the body of Mohamed Jameel, 45, who died while in custody at the Maafushi Prison, are bruises inflicted through torture and mistreatment.

In a joint press conference held by Police and Corrections Services, they said that although the markings were found on Jameel's body, investigations did not show that they were inflicted through any form of violence.

At the press conference, Minister Ihusan said that here onwards, any death in custody will be subject to a post mortem. He said the bodies will only be released to the families of the deceased once the post mortem reports are received and after reaching a point where authorities can be fully answerable in matters regarding the death.

Ihusan said that despite repeated requests, Jameel's family had decided to not provide permission for a post mortem to be conducted.

He further expressed concerns on the fact that so much time had lapsed between Jameel's death and officers discovering his body. He affirmed that a person under the responsibility of Corrections Services should not have been left unchecked on despite having been motionless for such a long duration of time, adding that this needs to be immediately rectified.

As seen in the CCTV footage released by Police, Jameel was praying and his last movement was observed at 7:43 hrs. However, officers entered the cell and checked on him only at around 11:30 hrs.

Ihusan said that inmates in prison often spend extended time in prostration in prayer. Due to this, he said that in future, officers will check on them hourly even if they are not physically touched or disturbed while in prayer.

Ihusan said that Jameel had been buried without a post mortem because the family accepts that the death had been the result of natural causes, based on which they refused to allow the post mortem to go ahead.

He expressed concerns that some are trying to use this death for political reasons. He called for the community to show respect, saying that publicizing video of a person's last moments is not something that he desired to have to do.

"I had to make this decision because of the sensitivity of the issue, and because many Maldivian citizens are expressing concerns about the matter. This is not something I would want to do on a regular basis," he said.

Death and Homicide Investigation Unit Head Inspector of Police Mohamed Samih said that the markings seen on Jameel's body are livor mortis, or marks seen on the deceased due to changes after death. He maintains that the markings are seen as such due to Jameel being in prostration when he passed away, and the long time he remained in the position afterwards.