Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusan has announced today that cases of individuals currently being held on indefinite detention pending trial will be reviewed, and where possible, the individuals will be released.
This form of detention is colloquially named 'Vaanuvaa bandhu' locally, loosely translated as 'reason for detention unknown'.
In a press conference held today, Minister Ihusan stated that the Prosecutor General's Office is currently working with the courts to conduct this review and ascertain if any individuals held under this form of detention can be afforded leniency.
"Generally, those under 'Vaanuvaa bandhu' are those arrested for major acts of violence, terrorism related offences, child abuse, especially sexual abuse of children and other such offences," the Minister explained.
Ihusan asserted that such individuals are kept in detention under a court order due to the dangers they may pose to society if released into the community.
"These are people who are specifically being held in custodial remand on the request of Police. However, under a special directive from the President, we are currently conducting reviews," Ihusan said.
Ihusan further highlighted that the government is working to ensure that in the instance some leeway can be granted to any of these individuals, it is done in a manner that does not pose a risk to society.
While subsequent governments have failed to bring an end to this practice, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu addressed the issue in his first presidential address in parliament last month. He pledged then that he will work to bring the practice of keeping persons on indefinite detention pending trial to a stop.
Besides the President, Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem has also previously raised concerns about this form of detention that has no defined duration.
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