Prisoners in Maafushi Jail on Hunger Strike Over Poor Conditions and Alleged Abuse

Inmates of Unit 11 in Maafushi Jail have been on a hunger strike for six days to protest against the deteriorating conditions of their cells and alleged abuse by officers of the Maldives Correctional Service. TMJ has learned that some inmates were beaten up by the officers who entered their cells after the hunger strike began on February 14th.

The families of the prisoners in Unit 11 reported the matter to the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives, but the commission has yet to take any action or respond to the issue. Several of the inmates have been forcefully fed, and some have been admitted to a facility within the prison, according to our sources.

Despite the growing concern, the Maldives Correctional Service has refused to acknowledge the hunger strike and informed the media that they are unaware of such a strike. The situation has raised serious concerns about the treatment of prisoners in the country and the human rights situation in the Maldives.

The Maldives government has faced criticism from international human rights organizations for its poor record on human rights and freedom of expression. The hunger strike of the inmates in Unit 11 adds to the growing list of concerns about the state of human rights in the Maldives.