President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu stated yesterday that a separate island will be designated for an "open prison island" concept where prisoners with infractions have to carry out their prison sentence, along with the option of employment. 

While giving this year's Presidential Address at Parliament yesterday, President Muizzu said that instead of a prison being a place where a prisoner has to carry out their sentence, the policy is to change it into a place of rehabilitation where prisoners can be made to become successful in life.

The President said that the policy has been changed where rehabilitation programs will not allow prisoners to reduce their sentences in parallel to the amount of days they spend in the programs by participating regularly and maintaining a particular form of conduct.

As per the President, an island is to be designated as a prison for the first time in Maldives' history, where prisoners can live and work under a rehabilitative lens.

"This project has been handed to the Maldives Correctional Service. Practical work on the establishment of the prison island will begin in the middle of the year, with plans to transfer prisoners there by the end of the year, said the President.

President Muizzu said that prisoners who have minor offenses and require minimum security will be transferred to the island. They will be taught agriculture and other similar work, said the President.

President Muizzu stated that it is important that the sanctity of humanity and systems are in line with international standards for criminals who are imprisoned for minor offenses.

Regarding his previous statement, President Muizzu said that Maldivian prisons up until 17th November 2023 had prisoners carrying out their sentences in cells that had no electricity, with electricity having been provided in all the cells as part of their efforts in improving the lifestyle of prisoners.

President Muizzu went on to say that the latest body scanners have been taken to Maafushi Prison so that bringing in prohibited items and subsequent crimes can be stopped.

"With this, making scam calls from prisons and other crimes of the sort will hopefully come to an end," said President Muizzu.