President Abdulla Yameen has today ratified the Prisons and Parole Bill. The Bill, passed at the 18th sitting of its third session of the Parliament on 16th December, has been published in the Government Gazette following ratification.
The Objective of the Act is to lay down the rules regarding the following matters:
- management of prisons and standards to be maintained by prisons and jails.
- the detention of accused persons, persons detained following a court order, and persons to be detained under the Maldives Immigration Act and rules regarding imprisonment of convicted persons.
- the rights of prisoners and detainees, and the code of conduct to be followed by them.
- to elaborate on the rights, powers and discretions of jail authorities.
- eligibility requirements to qualify for Parole for purpose of rehabilitation and reintegration of convicts.
- reintegration of convicts into society.
In Addition to this, the Act also specifies the procedures to be followed in execution of court decisions in respect of detainees and convicts.